Sensational XMen
by IceyLink
Summary: The further adventures of the Xmen as they find themselves lost in space. Issue 57 now posted and part three of an all new X-Calibur backup story.
1. Team Roster

**Sensational X-Men**

**Disclaimer:**

These issues are a work of fiction based partly on characters owned by Marvel Entertainment Ltd. These stories are not to be used for commercial gain, and are purely for entertainment purposes only.

Born with genetic mutations that give them abilities beyond normal humans, mutants are the next stage of evolution. As such, they are feared and hated. But a group of mutants have banded together to fight for the peaceful coexistence between mutant and humankind. These mutants are known as the Sensational X-Men.

**Team Roster**

_**X-Men –In space**_

**Lifeguard** – Heather Cameron – Living starship for the X-Men

**Sage** – Tessa Tager – Ship leader with a computer-like brain

**Slipstream – **Davis Cameron – Mutant teleporter

**Red** – Jam'se Summers – Alien wife of Scott Summers whose skin matches her codename

Je'se Summers – Infant son of Scott & Jam'se Summers

**Ruby **– Roberta Summers – Cloned sister of Scott Summers

**X-Treme **– Adam Neramani – Shi'ar genetically grown sibling of the Summers brothers

**Petra – **Barbara Drake – Earth controlling sister of Iceman

**Avalanche** – Dominic Detros – Former Brotherhood turned X-Man

**Mammomax** – Max Jensen – Former Brotherhood now mutated into a fully large elephant

**Krakoa – **Small living ecosystem/life form spawned from the former living island

**Spark – **Alison Blair – Dazzling singer turned light welding warrior

**Colossus** – Piotr Rasputin – Steel armored mutant

_**X-Men – Rescue Team: Apocalypse & The 8 Children of Mystique**_

**Cyclopes – **Scott Summers – Team leader & father of one of the eight missing children

**Forge – **Co-Leader & father of one of the eight missing children

**Sabretooth** – Victor Creed (John Howlett Jr.) – Feral mutant and father of one of the missing children

**Iceman – **Bobby Drake – Frosty mutant and father of one of the missing children

**Banshee – **Sean Cassidy – Sonic voiced mutant and father of one of the missing children

**Rouge – **Anna Marie Adler – Blue skinned daughter of Mystique and Destiny

**Mystique – **Raven Darkholme – Mutant shape-shifter and mother of the missing children

**Beast – **Henry McCoy – Furless mutant with animalistic adapting powers

Mona MacTaggert – Mutant teleporter and long lost sister of Moira MacTaggert

**Stacy X – **Miranda Leevald – Former X-Ranch employee turned X-Man

**Gambit **– Remy LeBeau – Mutant thief & newly discovered genetic son of Cyclops

**Vulcan** – Gabriel Summers – Energy powered mutant and the third Summers brother

**Queen Animala – **Ani – Green furred cat-like alien with a power of animals

**Wingblade –**N'Lea – Alien mutant from the planet Lator

**_X-Men – Strike Team: Professor X & The Escaped Evil Mutants_**

**Corsair **– Christopher Summers – Team Leader and former space pirate of the Starjammers

**Lilandro – **Team Co-leader and mutant son of Charles Xavier and Lilandra Neramani

**Juggernaut** – Cain Marko – Unstoppable powerhouse

**Spirit – **Zan Marko – Ghost-like mutant and brother/son of Xavier and half-brother of Juggernaut

**Havok – **Alex Summers – Mutant energy welding powerhouse

**Shaw – **Sebastian Shaw – Former Black King and Hellfire Club Leader

**Loa – **Alani Ryan – Mutant phaser and newly discovered daughter of Shinobi Shaw

**Wolverine **– James "Logan" Howlett – Claw popping mutant who's the best at what he does

**Archangel – **Warren Worthington – Mutant angel and horseman of death

**Polaris **– Lorna Dane – Magnetic daughter of Magneto

**Shirabi-Shi **– Jamie Silverfox – Deadly mutant daughter of Wolverine and Silverfox

**Darwin** – Armando Munoz – Reactive adapting mutant and newly discovered half-brother of Beast

**Others**

**Apocalypse** - En Sabah Nur – Depowered being of pure evil & possessor of the missing children

Moira MacTaggert - Reborn and now ten years old

Max Lehnsherr – Son of Magneto and Mystique

Kat Summers – Daughter of Cyclops and Mystique

Darkholme – Daughter of Forge and Mystique

Zach Drake – Son of Iceman and Mystique

Victoria Creed – Daughter of Sabretooth and Mystique

Shane Cassidy – Son of Banshee and Mystique

Nadia Sabah Nur – Daughter of Mr. Sinister and Mystique

Ira Adler – Son of Destiny and Mystique

**Professor X – **Charles Xavier – Depowered former leader of the X-Men

**Maximus Lobo the new Romulus **– Dog Logan – Mutant Werewolf and half-brother of Wolverine & Creed

**Shadow Nova – **Merged being of Gia, Cassandra Nova and the Shadow King

**White Queen III** – Adrianne Frost – Evil sister of Emma Frost

**Shinobi Shaw** – Former Black King of the Hellfire Club & mutant son of Sebastian Shaw

**Deadpool **– Wade Wilson – Mutant merc with a mouth

**Modifier **– Calvin Rankin – One time X-Man, Mimic and recent experiment of Mr. Sinister, now depowered


	2. Off to the Unknown Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #1 – Off to the Unknown – Part One**

Professor Charles Xavier, former leader of the X-Men, now sat and looked out upon Genosha, his new home with his good friend Erik Lehnsherr. They both have worked hard along with a few others to help rebuild this devastated nation. It also has done him good to separate himself from his X-Men. Giving them the chance to grow on their own and allowing him to focus on other aspects of his life.

Charles pushed out with his mind and still felt nothing. Erik had left a few weeks ago on an urgent mission and no one has heard from him since. He knew Erik could take care of himself but he still felt worried for his old friend. Erik wouldn't tell him where he was off to but if Charles knew his friend it wasn't good. Charles pushed it from his mind and glanced down at the slowly growing city below.

"Charles, Charles you up there?" came a voice.

Charles looked down to see Broadband running his way with Shola, Karima, Wicked, Freakshow, Book, Angel, Husk, and Callisto right on his tail. The others looked, and sensing their minds, they were as shocked by Broadband as he was. Xavier quickly opened up his mind and reached out to Broadband, just as their minds touched a strange feedback erupted as Broadband froze in step as his powers exploded upward merging with Xaviers.

"Charles," shouted the voice of Erik Lehnsherr.

Charles mind ached from the feedback with Broadband but now all he could see was a mental image of a badly beaten and bruised Magneto. He looked like he had been taken through the ring ten times over and was on the verge of panic and fear.

"Erik, my God what happened to you?" Charles projected with his mind.

"I don't have much time. Open your mind to me. I must show you everything before it's too late," Erik projected back.

Charles opened his mind and was suddenly flooded with images of everything Erik had been up to and where he had gone and what he had seen. The connection was suddenly broken as Charles fell from his chair due to the feedback from the separation.

"Oh my God, It can't be true. He can't be back," Charles whispered with true fear.

Scottsat in bed reading a book while Emma slept softly next to him. It was late to still be in bed but he felt it was kind of nice to "sleep" in and relax for a change. It always seemed like something was happening or a crisis brewing. Sometimes you just had to take a breather any chance you got. Scott looked over at Emma and smiled.

_Shame on you Mr. Summers, such thoughts._ Emma's voice teased inside his mind.

"Emma, I thought you were sleeping," Scott blushed.

"How can I sleep with you thinking so loudly," Emma smirked as she sat up kissing him on the lips.

Before Scott could respond any further the image of Charles Xavier exploded into their minds. With great urgency he said he didn't have time to explain but a great emergency has come up. Before either of them could respond to Charles he flooded a few more instructions and images and was gone. Even though Charles wasn't forthcoming with the crisis they both felt the dire need and had to react immediately. They quickly got dressed and made it to Scott's office.

"What do you need?" Iceman asked as he entered the office followed by Beast, Gambit, Wolverine, Storm and Havok.

"What is the emergency? We all got Emma's mental summons," Storm asked as she glared Emma's way and rubbing her temple.

Scott and Emma quickly filled them all in on what happened with Xavier. After about a half-hour their meeting ended. All the X-Men left to go prep and gather the rest of the team while Scott and Emma stayed in the office waiting for their next meeting. It seemed like things were being rushed but they had no choice. When Xavier calls you move out immediately.

**For more on this meeting and the fate of the school see Mutant Generation Force #1**

A few hours later Iceman and Beast sat in the pilot seats of the X-Jet as it blasted away from the school. Sitting in the passenger seats unknowingly waiting for what was coming next were Bishop, Colossus, Rouge, Gambit, Polaris, and Juggernaut. Back in a private room sat the elite crew of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Storm and Havok. They all sat facing a giant computer screen split in two. One side had the image of Sage and the other showed the complete roster of all X-Men past and present. "Sitting" in a chair next to Emma was the psychic image of Professor X.

"I appreciate your fast response my X-Men," Charles told them all.

"We moved as fast as we could. The school will be in good hands and we should be in Genosha shortly," Scott responded back.

"I know I haven't been too clear but I will explain more once everyone has arrived here. I may be over reacting but we must gather as many X-Men as we can. Let's quickly go over the list," Charles said quickly.

"You know who we have on board and you told us Warren is there with you, what about Kitty and the others that have gone to London?" Scott asked.

"I just got done mentally speaking with Rachel, and it seams she, Kitty, Kurt, Elizabeth and Lockheed are occupied and will be unable to assist us," Charles informed them as their faces darkened on the computer screen.

**See X-Calibur #1 for more details.**

"What about Mimic?" Storm asked the group.

"That would be a no. Calvin along with Northstar, Marrow, Stacy X and Xorn are too unpredictable to pull on this mission," Sage said as those images darkened from the screen.

"What about Longshot? Has anyone heard from him?" Havok asked.

"Not a word. I asked Alison and his whereabouts are still unknown. Along with him, Sunfire, Cecilia Reyes and Maggot are still MIA," Charles informed them all.

"How is Alison?" Scott asked.

"She is doing good. She has agreed to help us. Actually, she, Sean and Forge should be here any moment," Charles said.

"I tried calling in Agatha but I have not been able to reach her or her team," Cyclops told Charles.

"Yes it seems her team is preoccupied at this time," Charles confirmed.

**See current issues of Salem-X**

"I left a message for Jubilee at her aunt's house, but she hasn't answered," Wolverine chimed in.

"Actually, Wolverine, what I told Husk here and Cyclops that I don't want the young ones on this mission. Jubilee, Chamber and Husk are better off where they are. As well as Sam, Dani and the others are needed elsewhere," Charles informed them all as more faces went dark on the computer screen.

"Well the only three left is Slipstream, Lifeguard and Thunderbird," Storm pointed out.

"I was able to get in touch with Lifeguard and Thunderbird. They are meeting us there, Charles," Emma said.

"They have no idea where Slipstream is and I've had no luck finding him," Scott added.

"Don't worry. Through my connections I was able to locate him. He will be bringing me to Genosha to meet you all as soon as we conclude here," Sage told them.

"Looks like you will have quite the army, Chuck," Wolverine said.

"As much as it may seem, I hope it will be enough," Charles responded.

After a few more minutes the meeting concluded and the images of Sage and Charles vanished. They were almost to Genosha. As Iceman and Beast brought the X-Jet in for a landing they could see that everyone had arrived and were all standing around in a group. Lifeguard hugged her brother in a tearful reunion as Thunderbird avoided Karima's stares from afar. Soon everyone was gathered and catching up quickly. Scott could feel the tension for some, like Storm and Forge, but that was a given with so many members and so much history. They all knew that the past had to be left there and they all had to start fresh and face the future.

With great haste, Professor X ushered all the X-Men into a meeting room as he and Scott remained outside with Husk, Callisto, Book, Freakshow, Wicked, Karima and Shola. Charles had to speak with them briefly before they left for their mission.

"I wish you would let us go along," Husk demanded.

"I know, but I need you all to stay here. I will be looking to you Callisto to look after Genosha and the others while I am gone," Charles responded.

"You can count on me Charles. Just hurry back to us," Callisto told him as they said their good-byes and Charles and Scott headed inside.

Charles looked out at the twenty X-Men assembled before him. He felt great joy in his heart. All these years and all these members they were all here for him, no questions asked. Now he knew he had to give them some answers. He cleared his throat and stood so he faced them all.

"As you can see, thanks to Forge, I am wearing an exoskeleton that will allow me to walk. A wheel chair will be too much in the way," Charles told them.

"So what is going on here?" Gambit asked.

"As you all may or may not have known, Magneto has been staying here with me on Genosha. After the imposter, Erik did not want to face the world again. He left without word. Suddenly I received a distress call from him, he was in danger and needed help," Charles told them.

"Why should we care?" Wolverine grunted.

"Because, he is a good man and the danger he faces, we all face is far more important than old grudges," Charles said.

"What are you getting at Charles?" Storm asked.

"Even though Asteroid M was destroyed, Erik had a small satellite base hidden not too far from the moon. It was a backup safe haven if he ever needed it. Well, for whatever reason, he discovered a signal coming from it and he took off to investigate. What he found left him severely beaten and barely alive enough to get a message to me," Charles told them all.

"What is up there that could take out Magneto like that?" Polaris asked, thinking of her estranged father.

"The images I saw, I didn't recognize but before our connection was broken off I could swear I felt the presence of Apocalypse," Charles said with dread.

"That can't be! Cable destroyed him," Cyclops shouted remembering how that evil being had possessed him.

"I don't know, but that is why we are headed to space to find out and rescue my old friend. I fear, if it is Apocalypse, we all may not be enough," Charles whispered.

After a few more outbursts and instructions Professor X lead everyone to a hidden room, there they found a huge spacecraft. Charles had informed them that he and Magneto with the help of some of their Genosha friends had constructed the spacecraft. Now, with some modifications done by Forge it was ready to take them into space.

The ship was jet black and very large. The ship had eating quarters with food replicaters, a mini-danger room, and a recreation room with a pool and housed fifteen living quarters. It could supply fuel, power and oxygen for a very long time. If need be could take powers and generate that into the resources they needed to replenish them. It was meant to support and carry life in space with ease.

Charles took the captain's chair while Beast, Iceman and Storm took the pilot seats. Forge, Bishop and Sage would go down to engineering while Havok and Banshee took additional support stations. All the other X-Men strapped themselves in chairs on the lower deck behind Charles to prepare for take off. In a matter of moments they were blasting out of a hidden launch bay and rocketed into space.

"How are we holding up everyone?" Charles asked.

"Everything's fine down here," Forge replied.

"Looking good here too," Storm said as they broke orbit and were on a straight path towards the moon.

"Charles, we have increased speed and should be passing the moon in no time," Havok reported.

"Once we do, I want to bring the ship down to cruise. The satellite is not that far from the moon and I want to take precautions before going in," Charles said.

"We have come to a slow cruise, Charles. The satellite is on screen," Beast announced after some time had passed.

"Good. Scott, increase shields and put her into cloak mode," Charles commanded.

"Done, sir," Scott answered back.

"Charles, according to Sage, there is a hidden docking bay towards the other side," Banshee reported.

"Take her in," Charles said as the ship made its way to the backside of the satellite and then went in and docked.

"Okay, I want Sage, Forge, Beast, Thunderbird, Archangel, and Banshee to stay behind with the ship. You will monitor and protect the ship and be ready to blast out in a moment's notice. Emma, you will stay behind also in order to keep a strong telepathic link between the two teams," Charles said as he and the remaining X-Men carefully left the ship and stepped out into the base within the Satellite.

"Too quite in here for my tastes," Bishop whispered.

"Erik must have his helmet on. I can't pick up his thoughts," Charles said.

"Well, my nose is picking up something down that corridor," Wolverine pointed to a corridor branching off to the right.

_Charles, according to me and Sage we are detecting a life form of some kind down the corridor to your left_ Emma's voice announced inside Charles head.

"Storm, take Iceman, Bishop, Gambit, Juggernaut, Havok and Lifeguard and investigate to the left. The rest of us will head on the right. First team to find something let the other know. Be careful and be alert to anything other than Erik. Remember we have a possible dangerous mutant up here somewhere," Charles said as the two teams split up.

"Charles, look up ahead," Wolverine shouted as they came to a figure lying on the ground.

"Erik, I have come. Are you okay?" Charles shouted as he ran up to his friend.

"Charles?" Magneto said very weakly through his helmet.

"Who did this to you?" Polaris asked as she came to her father's side.

"Back away from him," shouted a voice before Magneto could answer.

"I thought I smelled your disgusting hide," Wolverine shouted extending his claws.

The X-Men turned around to see Sabretooth crouching in front of fellow brotherhood members Blob, Avalanche, Mammomax, and Toad. Charles was surprised to find it was them up here. Before he could say a word, Wolverine launched at Sabretooth as the rest of the Brotherhood engaged his X-Men.

"Look, I see someone up ahead," Iceman told the others as they rounded a corner and reached a weird looking laboratory.

"I see Magneto sent for backup," a voice said as a blast hit Iceman sending him flying backwards.

Bishop ran to his side as the others powered up. They all stopped as the figure came closer and into view.

"Exodus, what are you doing here?" Juggernaut shouted.

"Helping bring about a New World order, soon all will bow to the might of En Sabah Nur!" Exodus shouted.

"What are you talking about?" Storm demanded.

"I was lucky to have his essence possess me not to long after his defeat. Then I brought him here to conduct experiments to create a new powerful host body for him so he could rule with me by his side. After many failures I have finally done it," Exodus laughed.

They all looked in fear as they saw the chamber behind Exodus was empty and recently used. Before any of them could speak dozens of mutated creatures began to surround them.

"Oh yes, I would also like you to meet the failures," Exodus laughed as the mutates attacked.

"Something's happening. I lost contact with the teams," Sage told Emma over the COM system.

"I will try and reach them, no it can't be," Emma started to say and then froze as she saw a large dark figure approach the ship.

Before Emma could use her powers and call out to the others the figure raised its arms at the ship a powerful blast hit the front of the ship engulfing it in a powerful light. The ship rocked as Emma opened her mouth to scream. No sound came out as she succumbed to the darkness.

**Next: Issue #2 – Off to the Unknown – Part Two**


	3. Off to the Unknown Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #2 – Off to the Unknown – Part Two**

**Right Corridor**

Things had happened too fast. Professor X had brought his students to a secret base of Magneto's to answer his distress call and to save him from the evil he had sensed, Apocalypse. While one team stayed on the ship, and another had headed down the left corridor, his team had gone right and came across they body of Magneto and the Brotherhood. Before Xavier could react, Wolverine as always jumped the gun and was now engaged in battle with Sabretooth.

"Time to die runt," Creed said as he slashed open Logan's chest and throwing him back.

"That almost hurt, bub," Wolverine snarled.

By the time Wolverine had jumped to his feet and leapt back at Sabretooth his chest had healed. Both claws sliced into Sabretooth's shoulders as Wolverine drove him backwards and into a side room. Professor X shook his head and began shouting metal commands at his X-Men, "_Polaris, take Blob. Colossus, take down Mammomax. Cyclops, Avalanche is yours while Rouge takes care of Toad. Slipstream, help me with Magneto."_

"Good luck, nothing can move the Blob," Fred Dukes laughed as he planted his feet.

"We'll see about that," Polaris said as she called forth her powers ripping the floor away from around the Blob causing him and the small floor he had been standing on to fall through to the area below.

As Colossus traded blows with Mammomax, Cyclops fired optic blasts at Avalanche while avoided ground eruptions and Rouge tried to fry the Toad, Professor X and Slipstream help Magneto to sit up. He was very weak but was conscious.

"Charles, you came. I wasn't sure if my message would make it," Erik said.

"Yes, old friend and I brought backup if what I sensed is true."

"Yes, Charles, we're all in danger. I found out that Exodus has been trying to revive Apocalypse. He has succeeded and the foul creature now runs free. He is not at full power, but he was still able to defeat me with Exodus's help."

"We knew you X-Men were after Magneto. Get away from him," Sabretooth shouted as his bloodied figure came back into the corridor and ran at Slipstream and Professor X.

"No, stop. They are not here to hurt me," Erik tried to shout as Sabretooth clawed into Slipstreams arm and tossed him aside leaving Xavier open.

Before Creed could step near Xavier, Cyclops's optic beam knocked him onto his back. Creed tried to jump up but Wolverine came out from nowhere landing on hid chest pinning him down and putting his right fist near his neck. Creed could feel the two outer claws on each side of his neck and the point of the middle claw barely piercing his throat.

"Move even an inch and it's goodnight kitty," Wolverine growled.

"Now, everyone stop!" Xavier shouted as he backed up his command with a very power mental blast that caused everyone to drop to the ground unable to move. "We are here to help Erik, not fight you." Beads of sweat formed on Xavier's brow as he forced his powers to control everyone's motor functions.

"What he says is true. I summoned them here for help. We must all stop fighting and work together. We have a greater threat to tend to," Erik said as he gained his strength and made it to his feet.

With a feeling of reassurance and agreement from all, Xavier called off his powers as everyone came to a temporary truce. Even the growling and snarling Logan and Creed back away form each other, claws and still extended and ready though. Xavier was about to speak when he felt pain from Emma.

"X-Men, we must get back to the ship. The others are in grave danger."

**Exodus's Laboratory**

The X-Men had quickly found themselves surrounded by mutated creatures. They didn't have any powers but they were very strong and without minds or sensations for pain made them very dangerous. Iceman put them on ice while Bishop, Gambit and Havok moved and blasted their powers at the creatures. Juggernaut and Lifeguard, who had morphed into a rock like form to save her form the creatures blows and punch back were sending the creatures flying left and right. Storm made her way towards Exodus.

"You can't stop me weather witch. Here in this room there is no conditions that will allow you to create and cause your storms," Exodus laughed.

"I don't need powers to stop you," Storm said as she flipped up and sent him flying onto his backside with round kick.

"That all you go? Trust me, it's too late. Our lord and master has risen and you will all fall before him," Exodus said as he flew up and waved his arms sending Storm flying backwards with his psychokinesis.

Storm hit the wall and quickly got to her feet. Even without her powers, she never felt powerless. She grabbed a metal pole and soon had a useable weapon. She saw Bishop approaching and hit Exodus in the back causing him to turn away from Storm. She took that moment and swung the pole across the back of his head ending him to he ground.

Storm could see that the man's powers saved him from blacking out or being severely injured form the blow, but he was laying face down a moving a little slow. "Iceman!" She shouted as Bobby took the cue and encased the man in a block of solid ice.

"This won't hold him for long," Storm said to Bishop. "We need to get back to the ship. Xavier sent a quick message that our help was needed," Storm finished as she touched her temple.

"We need to get everyone out of this room and me and Havok will bring the ceiling down. That will put an end to this laboratory and those creatures. If anything, it will also keep Exodus down for the count," Bishop said as Storm shouted the plan out to everyone.

Juggernaut picked lifeguard up as he and gambit made it out of the room. Iceman used his powers to drive and hold back the creatures with shards and walls allowing Storm and the others to clear the room. With everyone now out in the corridor, Gambit powered up Bishop with his powers. Soon Bishop and Havok unleashed their blasts upwards causing the whole ceiling to collapse down upon the lab and the creatures within. With a nod, they all ran back down where they had originally came from.

**The ship's docking bay**

"What was that?" Beat asked after the ship had quit shaking.

"Not sure, but it knocked Emma out cold," Sage said glancing down at the woman in white lying on the floor.

"What do you think caused it?" Thunderbird asked.

"Not what, but whom," Forge said as he pointed at the large figure standing about ten feet form the jet.

"I don't believe it," Warren shouted as he ran out the cockpit and headed out of the ship.

"Believe it. Apocalypse is back," Emma said as Banshee helped her to her feet. "I think I got word to Xavier, but what ever that light was it is blocking my mental powers."

"We have to stop him until the others get back. We can't let him get this ship and make it back to Earth," Forge said as he and the X-men ran to battle.

Apocalypse laughed as he saw his old horseman fly at him. He wasn't at full strength but he could stil handle this weak fathered flyer. His arm morphed into a cannon and fired a blast at Archangel. Warren easily dodged the blast and shifted back around. He looked over his shoulder and saw Sage, Beast, Thunderbird, Emma, in diamond form and banshee coming to his aid.

"You don't stand a chance against me. I will rise and make my return," Apocalypse shouted as he grew and swatted both Warren and Banshee aside as Sage pulled out her guns and fired off blasts as Beast and Thunderbird dived in with their fists.

"There is no way he can stop him," Emma thought to herself as she saw her friends being beaten down and then glanced back at the ship wondering what she should do. Emma lost the idea when she heard shouting, "X-Men, attack."

Mystique and Crimson Commando crouched in hiding when they heard the attack. She couldn't believe that evil creature was still alive and was now battling the X-Men. Things had not turned out the way she thought they would. She had received info from a reliable source that Magneto was heading off into space. He had been summoned to his secret hidden base for some reason. Her reliable source told her that what he would find up there was a trap and he would be in danger.

Denying her feelings of concern and assuring herself it was more out of curiosity of what Erik was hiding she gathered what Brotherhood she could and they hijacked a ship to follow him. Thanks to Avalanche and Sabretooth, a fight had damaged their ship beyond repair and by luck made it to the hidden base. The ship shot and them stranded they sought out Magneto. They came to a corridor and entered the main docking bay to find the X-Men Spaceship sitting there.

She had just seen a group of X-Men head off down another corridor and she sent everyone but Crimson Commando after them. She wasn't sure if it was the X-Men trying to trap Erik or not but she knew the others would find Magneto first. She and Commando were trying best to decide how to get into and overtake the ship when Apocalypse showed up. Of all things, she never expected to find him here. Now the X-Men left behind were in battle as well as another group joining the attack.

"What do we do, Mystique? Should we help them?" Frank asked.

"Are you crazy? Sabretooth will be back soon with Magneto and we need that ship. I can't risk Apocalypse getting that ship before us. Let's take it while we can. We have to be ready the minute the others show back up to take off," Mystique said as she and Crimson Commando made their way back to the ship.

Lucky for them the hatch was open and they made their way into the cockpit of the ship. Once they got to the cockpit they could see the battle waging outside.

"Look!" Crimson Commando shouted as he pointed.

Mystique could see Magneto and the Brotherhood running head first into the already intense battle followed by another group of X-Men. She quickly told Commando to run out and let Erik know she had the ship and to help him get here. Once Commando was gone she began to power up the ship and got it to rotate around to face the exit out.

"There, once Erik is on board we are out of here."

"You're not going anywhere." Mystique heard a voice behind her and then blacked out as Forge knocked her over the head with the butt of his gun.

Professor X looked around to take note of what was going on. Sage was next to him calculating with her mind. He felt powerless since for whatever reason there was a field around this docking bay preventing his telepathy to work. Both X-Men and Brotherhood were in deep battle with Apocalypse, who was not even at full power seemed to be tossing bodies left and right.

"Charles, we have to stop him. If he gets to your ship then Earth will be doomed and we can't allow that," Magneto said stepping up beside his old friend. "We seem to be holding our own but this place is being ripped to shreds. I don't know how much longer this base will hold together."

"Rouge!" They all heard Gambit shout as Apocalypse hit her with a blast that sent her flying clear on the far side of the docking bay.

"Cherie, you must be careful, no? Without Danver's powers you are not as invulnerable as you used to be," Remy said getting to her side and helping her up.

"Don't worry about me sugah, I can handle my own," Rouge said getting to her feet.

"Magneto, Mystique has the ship. All Brotherhood to the ship so we can leave!" Commando said running near Magneto and shouting to him and his comrades.

"Oh no," Charles began.

"Don't worry, I have Forge on the comm. Mystique is down for the count and he has the ship again," Sage reported to Charles.

"I will have that ship!" Apocalypse said as he shifted his form and blasted mutant after mutant.

Soon there was so much dust and smoke from the battle and fires that you couldn't see anything. Magneto tried shouting to his Brotherhood to not abandon the fight, but wasn't sure if they even heard him. He knew that there would be only one way to end this. Magneto called forth all his strength and poured it into his powers. Soon all the X-Men and Brotherhood that were near Apocalypse were thrown away.

"Erik, what are you doing?" Charles said trying to make out his friend through all the smoke.

"What I have to do, Charles. Get everyone aboard your ship and get out of here. NOW! Magneto Base, respond voice alpha two. Self-destruct sequence, Wanda-Pietro- Lorna. "

"Self Destruct Activated!" Boomed a computer voice from all around them.

With that, Charles and Sage were thrown back as Magneto used all his powers to throw Apocalypse back far away from the ship and pin him to the wall and hold him with his powers. For now, the great mutant was going no where.

"Erik, you don't have to do this," Charles pleaded.

"Charles, this is the only way to keep him from the ship and the escape pods. This has to end now and this is the only way to be sure of it. Now get everyone of this base now. GO!" Magneto shouted using just enough power to send Charles and Sage further away to where the smoke blocked their sight of each other.

Charles wiped a tear and then instructed Sage to send a message to all X-Men to head to the ship or nearest escape pod. Forge was also instructed to power up and is ready to go at a moment's notice. Soon Sage and Charles were on their way, trying to find the ship through the smoke.

"You can't stop me!" Apocalypse shouted as he tried to break free of Magneto's hold.

"I don't have to stop you, just hold you a few minutes longer," Magnet whispered as he began to grow tired.

"You have to go now. Can't you feel it? This base is about to blow any second," Mystique shouted as Forge while trying to break free from her bindings.

"Not until I know everyone is onboard or made it to am escape pod," Forge said as he had the ship primed to go and then was watching the reading for signs of X-Men to report into the ship or that they were in an escape pod.

"To late for that," Mystique shouted as she was able to Morph enough to get free and grab a rod, hitting Forge on the back forcing him away from the console.

"What are you doing?" Forge said as he tried to get back on his feet.

"Getting us out of here," She said as she hit the close hatch button and started to lift off.

"You can't, we don't know if anyone is on board yet."

"Then it's just you and me, lover," Mystique mocked as she fought with Forge and then hit the ignition with her feet sending the X-Men's space ship roaring forward and out into space.

"No, we have to go back," Forge said taking over the seat at the console.

"We can't, look. The screen shows the base glowing and erupting with fire. The whole thing will blow in less than a minute and we have to make sure we are far enough away so we are not caught in the blast wave."

Forge knew what she said was true and pushed the ship as fast as he could. For some reason they didn't seem to be going forward but backwards. "What is going on?"

"That!" Mystique shouted as Forge looked at the computer screens.

Somehow, a black hole or wormhole of some kind had just opened up behind the base and was sucking everything included the base into it. Forge was trying to give the ship all he could to escape the hole's pull. He knew they would have enough power. He shut off all life support and rerouted all power to the engines.

"What are you doing?" Mystique asked.

"It's the only way to break free. I have programmed life support to come back on in a few minutes. Should just be enough time to break free even if we black out from lack of air."

They both watched and prayed as the base started to erupt in fire and then vanished from sight into the black hole. They smiled with hope as they began to move a little forward and they noticed that the hole was beginning to shrink and vanish.

"We are going to make it," Mystique said as she looked at Forge.

She then saw he was unconscious. Her morphing powers were allowing her to last a little longer with no air. She got behind the console to keep the ship going forward. The hole was almost gone and they were almost free of its pull and the air would kick on soon. Her last thought was, "I did it," before she blacked out herself.

**Next: Issue #3 – Lost**


	4. Lost

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #3 – Lost**

Mystique gained consciousness and slowly sat up. She sat up and looked around in a daze. Had she been dreaming? Where was she? Her mind became clearer when she realized where she was. She was in the X-Men's space shuttle and she was trying to escape some kind of black hole as Magneto's base had exploded and had gotten sucked in. She was sure she had made it before she had blacked out like Forge had.

"Forge!" Mystique shouted and turned around remembering that she was not alone.

She saw that he was still lying on the floor. She glanced back at the control monitor and saw that they were back up to full life support and all systems were almost drained while the ship floated in the dead of space, not going anywhere. Her powers must have allowed her to gain consciousness quicker. She had to figure out where she was and what her next move would be before Forge woke up.

Moving quickly she ran a check to see where they were. She began to panic. What she was seeing could not be right. According to the computer systems, they were in the middle of nowhere and Earth was not even registering on the Space Map Directory. The SMD must be busted, because it wasn't pulling anything up. She would have to figure it out later; she had something else she needed to do first.

Mystique got up and ran over to where Forge was lying. She had to tie him up first. Knowing him he would punch first and talk later. She looked around but couldn't find anything to tie him up with. She reached down to check his pulse when Forges eyes snapped open and he grabbed her wrists so sudden she screamed.

"You'll pay for what you did. You left a lot of people to their deaths," Forge said as he pushed to pin her down.

"No, I saved our lives and this ship. Anything less and we all would be dead," Mystique snapped back as she head-butted him and flipped him onto his back holding him down.

"Let me up woman," Forge struggled still a tad weak from his black out.

"You know you like this, lover," Mystique licked her lips as she pushed him down, her lips close to his.

"You wish, Raven," Forge spat as he brought his knee up and then kicked his opponent up and off hitting the wall across from him.

"You'll pay for that tech man," Mystique said getting to her feet.

"I have more pressing things to take care of," Forge said as he picked up a devise from his belt and pointed it at her.

Forge pressed a button and a containment field surrounded Mystique. She pounded and kicked and realized that she was trapped, for now. She sat down and glared at her adversary. She had already thought of twenty different ways to punish him when she got free.

"That will hold you for awhile. Now, I need to find out where were we are," Forge said as he crossed the room and sat down at the control panel.

"Good luck, the SMD is broken," Mystique laughed.

"It can't be. According to this, Earth its solar system and anything we are familiar with doesn't even register. The screen just comes up blank," Forge scratched his head.

"Told you it was broke," Raven taunted him.

"No, I just have to make a few adjustments and repairs," Forge said as his powers kicked in. "I don't believe this."

"What is it?" Mystique asked.

"The SMD is working, but what it shows me is that we are no where close to home. We must have went through the whole and ended up in some other galaxy," Forge said.

"That can't be. I'm sure I got us away," Raven demanded in panic.

"Yo may have tried but it's true. According to this off to the right I register two suns not one and the planets and satellites and other things I am picking up readings on are nothing like Earth or any of the planets we know. I have run a check of all other galaxies, and nothing comes up that is familiar. We are definitely lost in unknown space," Forge said as Mystique gasped.

"How will we get home? How long will this ship support life?" Mystique said as her mind began to race.

"Don't worry, this ship was built to last a long time. It will take a bit of time for the ship to bring the rest of the systems up to full power and then we can decide what to do next to find our way home," Forge said.

"Great, me and you on a honeymoon from hell," Mystique laughed.

"Actually, according to the ships read outs there are five other life forms aboard this ship," Forge said.

"See, I didn't leave everyone to their deaths," Raven teased, "who are they?"

"Systems are not up to full power to be able to tell that. I have placed a containment field around each of them. I will go check it out. Better to be safe than sorry. Hard telling who had made it back on this ship before you took off," Forge said as he grabbed two guns from the wall and left Mystique alone.

Forge reached the docking room. There were three people lying on the floor. They must have been the last ones to jump aboard before Mystique had taken off. He could see that they were all starting to come to. He was relieved to see that one of them belonged to Polaris. Next to her was Blob and Banshee. From the way they were laying they must have been in the middle of battle when the ship took off and then they backed out form lack of air.

"Let me out of here," Fred Dukes the man known as Blob demanded.

"In good time," Forge said as he pushed a button on his devise releasing Polaris and Banshee.

"What happened where are we?" Banshee said as Forge quickly brought them up to speed.

"What do you mean we are lost in space? What about the others? When I get my hands on Mystique she'll be sorry!" Polaris began to scream.

"Don't worry, we'll find out where we are and how to get home," Forge said helping Polaris to her feet.

"What about the others? They can't all be dead can they?" Polaris continued to panic.

"I don't know. There are two more life forms on the ship. Once we get to them then we can figure out where to go next and what we need to do to get home and look into what happened to the others. Banshee come with me, Polaris can you stay here and keep an eye on our friend here?" Forge asked.

"I can do that," Polaris said starting to calm down a little.

"Don't worry. My girl Mystique will find a way to get out and free me and then you all are in trouble," Blob shouted.

"If you don't shut up, fatso, then you will be in trouble," Polaris said as Banshee and Forge left the docking area.

"So, do you think any of the others survived?" Banshee asked as they neared the recreational room.

" I don't know. It is real hard to say. I wasn't able to do a real good reading but I didn't see any debris anywhere at first glance. One problem at a time though," Forge said.

Once in the recreational room they saw a man lying by the side of the pool. There was blood in the pool and all over the man's head. Forge turned off the field and saw that the man known as Avalanche was unconscious with a serious head wound.

"He's barely breathing," Forge said checking his vitals. "I wonder what happened?"

"I can answer that," came a voice from across the room form their fifth and final life form aboard the ship.

"Tessa? Thank the heavens," Forge said as he released her and Banshee helped her over to them.

"I made it back on the ship when I realized that Mystique was on board. I heard a shout and when I came in here I saw someone floating in the pool. The rocking ship must have made him slip in the pool and hit his head. I didn't know whom it was at first I just dove in and dragged him out. Before I could do anything else I was rocked across the room and then lack of air knocked me out," Tessa, the woman known as Sage said.

"Tessa, I need you to go check on Polaris. She is watching over the Blob and she can get you up to speed on everything. When done there, get up to the cock pit and start checking over the ship and its vitals. Oh, and watch out for Mystique," Forge said as Tessa headed out of the room.

"Banshee, help me get Avalanche to sick bay. He's breathing, but he needs serious medical attention.

After about thirty minutes or so Forge and Banshee made their way back to the cockpit. Avalanche was stable but he had slipped into a coma and only time would tell. At this time there was nothing more they could do for him. He was still placed in a containment field just in case.

When they go there they saw Mystique and Blob, standing next to each other complaining in their containment fields. Polaris was pacing while Sage sat at the controls moving her hands across the panels faster then the eye could keep up. They turned to look at them when they entered and Forge quickly gave them the update on Avalanche.

"You're lying. You don't want to help him so that we can't escape," Blob shouted at them, among other phrases.

"Fred, shut up. I know Forge and he would never let anyone die, friend or foe," Mystique said wanting to shut him up so she could take in everything that conversed between the X-Men.

"How's the ship?" Banshee asked Tessa.

"Everything checks out fine except the warp engines. Those will need to be repaired if we plan to travel quickly through space," Tessa said.

"Now what?" Polaris sighed.

"Well, I did a scan, adding my knowledge with what you did for this ship, Forge. I found a satellite with a power signature computable to what we need to fix the warp drives. I also found something else," Sage said.

"What is that?" Banshee asked.

"A life form with a mutant signature," Sage said looking at them all.

"Is it one of our own?" Mystique and Forge said in unison and then glared at each other.

"I can't tell that, but the signature does seem familiar," Tessa said.

"What does that mean? If it is, does that mean others could have survived? And if so, where are they?" Polaris said as everyone turned and looked at each other for answers they did not have.

_**Somewhere in an unknown location**_

One moment there was smoke and destruction and then there was darkness. Now a bright light chased away the dark to make room for the bodies senses to come back alive. Erik Lehnsherr, the man known as Magneto sat up and looked around. He was no longer on his secret base holding back the evil Apocalypse. He was now sitting on a beach looking out at the ocean. Where was he, is this a dream, and was he dead?

He stood up and looked himself over. To his surprise, there wasn't a scratch on him. As he looked around he could see pieces of debris and chucks of his secret base all over the beach and floating in the ocean. Somehow, when the base exploded he had survived and landed somewhere back on Earth. He then looked up and saw three suns shinning in different parts of the sky. At that moment he knew he was not on Earth.

A screaming voice brought him back to reality. Erik looked over to see the X-Man known as Storm. She appeared to be trapped under a large piece of metal. Her coming to under it must have triggered her claustrophobia. Erik called forth his powers and lofted the piece of metal of her and flung it deep into the ocean. He then headed over and helped her up.

"Ororo, I believe you are okay now?" Magneto asked her as she quickly stood up.

"Yes, thank you, Erik," Storm said as she dusted herself off and looked around.

"It appears we survived but I don't think we are on any Earth we know," Erik said.

"Yes, my powers had trouble working at first but I'm beginning to adjust them. From the feel of it, I can control the weather here but it feels different. Hard to believe we survived the explosion. I was in an escape pod when I was knocked out," Storm said.

"Both of our powers must have aided our ability to survive the crash landing. I saw your X-Jet take off but I am not sure who made it on there and who made it to escape pods," Erik said.

"Well, we must quickly search the area to see if there is any other survivors in case they are in need of our assistance," Storm said.

"I take it we are at a truce?" Erik smiled.

"Erik, I know you can be evil, but I also know that it was an imposter that killed Jean and that you were with the Professor. If Charles can trust you, so can I, for now. Plus, we will need to work together if we are to survive and find out where we are," Storm said and Erik nodded.

"Quickly, search the beach and the water for bodies, I'll use my powers to feel out to see if I can feel iron in blood within the wreckage and near by forest behind us," Erik said, still a little weak pushing out with his powers.

Storm was able to lift up, but on this strange planet, she didn't want to go up too high since she was still getting used to using her powers in this atmosphere. She glided over the ocean looking for signs within the water and floating debris. She saw a shape and moved quickly over to it. Once she was upon it she could see that it was a body lying atop a floating piece of wreckage.

She swore loudly. Of all people it had to be Sabretooth. Keeping her distance she checked to see if he was alert or alive. As badly cut up and wounded as he was she could see him healing slowly before her eyes. Of course he would end up being okay. She used her powers to cause the wind to move him closer to shore. She would have to worry about him later. She had more ocean to cover.

Magneto saw Sabretooth's form moving closer to shore thanks to Storm. He wasn't sure how Creed would behave so he used a small fraction of his powers to effect the iron in his blood to keep him from fully waking up. He didn't have time to convince him to behave till they were done searching the area. Magneto snapped back to attention when he found something.

It was a body hanging from a nearby tree. It was Toad, caught in the tree vines. Erik quickly got him down and laid him upon the ground. After checking his vitals he saw that Toad was alive and breathing. Somehow Toad had survived with just a few scratches and bruises.

"Blimey, what is going on?" Mortimer whispered, still a little shaken.

"Toad, I will explain more later but we seem to be stranded on a strange planet and we are right now searching for survivors. I need your help. If you so much as cross me or harm anyone you find, X-men or not, you will be among the non-survivors," Magneto instructed as Toad got up and began to help search the area.

Storm searched the whole ocean the best she could and she only found one other body. It was another Brotherhood member, Mammomax. She was able to get him back to the beach, but as he screamed in pain she realized that both his legs were broken.

"You can't leave me here," Mammomax shouted.

"You'll live. I can't do anything for you right at this moment. When me and Magneto are done searching the beach for any other survivors Magneto can see about your legs," Storm said keeping her relief to herself that she wouldn't have to worry about him coming at her for now.

She was starting to worry. She didn't know who made it off the base, who survived, who was on this planet and who might not have made it. It was getting to be a little much for her. With the Brotherhood slightly out numbering her she was praying to the goddess that she would find a fiend soon.

"Storm!" A voice shouted at her making her head back up the beach.

Coming out of the forest was a large solid man made of steel. She had never been so excited to see anyone in her life. It only made sense that his steel form would help him survive and stay alive.

"Piotr, are you okay?" Storm asked as he nodded and she quickly brought him up to speed about their situation.

"Just the two of us against Magneto and three of his Brotherhood? I don't like this," Colossus said.

"I think we will be okay for now. Erik has agreed to a truce and I think we can trust him," Storm said.

"Yes, I know, it's the others I don't trust," Piotr said.

After about an hour of searching the area they had only found one other person. It was the former X-Man known as Lifeguard. Her bio-morphing powers had allowed her to take on a form that allowed her to survive. Unless they were deep into the ocean or deep within the jungle, they were the only seven survivors so far.

It was already getting dark and they had built a fire thanks to Storm and they sat in front of it to keep warm. Sabretooth, under the direction of Magneto had found sniffed out some fish and they had food for now. Storm, Colossus and Lifeguard sat on one side of the fire while Magneto, Toad, and Sabretooth sat on the other side. Storm glanced over to where Mammomax laid, thanks to Magneto and Colossus had his broken legs set and sealed in metal till they healed.

"What do we do now?" Storm whispered to herself as she looked up at the five moons lighting up the night sky.

**_An underground base in an unknown location_**

"Apocalypse, I have finished the task that you have given me."

"About time, Ozymandias. Yo have been gone a long time," Apocalypse snarled as he turned to his servant.

If it hadn't been for Ozy staying hidden the whole time and pulling him free from Magneto's hold at the last minute he may not have survived the explosion and crash. While he lay, waiting for his strength to return and Ozy to help him he had come up with a plan. He quickly surveyed their situation and got to work right away while he had sent Ozy to search the area and help him with things he needed done.

"I see you have everything hooked up and running. You'll be glad to know that I finally found a path that will lead us outside. We no longer are completely trapped in here," Ozy said.

"I am not worried about that. I have every faith that I'll set foot outside. My first priority was to get this setup and to monitor the process," Apocalypse said to his servant as he watched a huge monitor.

"What exactly are you doing again?" Ozymandias asked.

"If your precog sculptures are true, then I have a huge battle to be ready for. I'll need my Seven Horseman to be able to take over this world," Apocalypse laughed.

"You are wise, my master. New horseman will be needed," Ozy said as he turned to leave the room and then paused. "Wait, did you say seven?"

**Next: Issue #4 – The Bounty Hunters**


	5. The Bounty Hunters

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #4 – The Bounty Hunters**

_**The X-Men – In Space**_

"How are things going?" Sage's voice came over the ship's Com.

"Great, we almost have it installed and should have the warp drives fixed in no time," Forge replied back.

"Who would have thought we would find a wrecked ship on this satellite with what we needed to fix this prison," Mystique said over Forge's shoulder.

"Who would have thought that Forge would be crazy enough to let you free," Polaris said over the Com.

"Shut up you little," Mystique began.

"Raven, Lorna that is enough. I let her and Blob free because we need their help. Just like us, they want to survive and get home and they know they can't do that without working with us," Forge said.

"Well, as soon as we get back on board we need to finish making that tracking devise to see if we can track and find the other X-men," Sage said as Blob shouted over her, "and the other Brotherhood too."

"Which reminds me, any luck finding our mysterious mutant," Forge asked.

"Not yet. This landscape is nothing but wasteland and creators. We did find a cave-like crater and I am picking up the signature down below. We are heading down there now," Sage reported back.

"Keep us posted of your progress. Forge out," Forge said as he turned back to Mystique and his repair work.

Sage and her team of Polaris, Banshee and Blob had went off in search of the mutant they had detected after they had found and helped with the initial extraction of the wrecked ship. Polaris did not like that they had to wear these stupid space suits, but there was no breathable air or gravity on this satellite.

Along with that, there was no magnetic energy here that allowed her to manipulate and use her powers. She felt useless. It took almost all her strength to even lift the ship and its parts they needed. She was a survivor and she would survive this.

The tunnel into the cave was dark, only lit by their lights on their suits. Eventually they came to a dead end. A cave in of some sort had closed off the tunnel ahead of them. They couldn't go any further but Sage could detect the mutant signature behind the cave in.

"Polaris, can you move that? I can't use my scream with this helmet on and risk a further cave in," Banshee asked.

"I can't, plus I am still a little weak from drawing from within myself to left that wrecked ship," Polaris said.

"Allow me," Blob said as he walked over and started to use his strength to move the rocks in their way, "we don't have all day."

Soon they had moved enough for Sage and Banshee to crawl through. Blob was too big to fit through so Polaris stayed behind to keep and eye on him and the exit. Sage and Banshee soon entered a cavern. They were shocked when they found a man with a bald head, pale white skin and a purple outfit that was badly torn.

"Is he alive?" Banshee asked.

"Believe it or not, he is. My sensors read that he is in some kind of coma and that is body is not dependent upon air to live," Sage said in surprise.

"I wonder if that's his ship out there?" Banshee said.

"Let's get him back to our ship," Sage said as Banshee carefully picked up the kid and carried him back.

Once they were all on the ship they put the pale skinned man on a med-bed where Forge and Sage could inspect him. Blob sat by Avalanche's bedside while the others looked over the new stranger. He wished Dominic would wake up. He hated having to befriend the X-men but he had no choice. Mystique was only loyal to herself and over the years he had watched her grow closer to the X-men. If Avalanche woke up then he would side with him and they could take over this vessel. Especially since Dominic knew how to fly a ship and he didn't.

"This is our mutant we detected. Looks like he has the ability to adapt to his surrounding to survive. As you can see, being in here he is now reverting back to the ability to breathe air. The reason he seemed so familiar is that his life signs read him to be from Earth," Forge said.

"I wonder how he got here and how long he has been here?" Polaris asked.

"Hard to say. With they way his body adapts, even on how to sustain himself without food, I can't tell," Sage said.

"Where am I?" The person on the bed suddenly said as he started to sit up.

"Seems his body not only reverted for him to breathe but it must have released him from his protective coma," Mystique said trying to give her two cents.

"It's okay, you are among friends. We found you in a cavern and brought you back to our ship. According to our readings you are going to be okay," Forge said.

"Thanks," he said rubbing his head.

"Who are you and how did you get here?" Banshee asked.

"Kind of a long short story," the man said.

"We're listening," Polaris said.

"I am not sure how many, but years ago I woke up in that ship out there. I had no memory of who I was or how I got there. I looked around and there were five others in the ship with me. They too, had no memory of who they were or how we all got where we were.

"All we knew was that we were all in a ship that was badly damaged and crashed on an unknown planet. We were not scared of each other, despite how some of us looked because we found one item, small group picture of all of us. If anything, we knew at some point we were friends or a team of some kind," the man began his story.

"Who were the others?" Forged asked.

"And what do you mean by, how you looked?" Sage asked.

"Some of us, like me did not look human but we didn't know why or where we came from. First thing we did was try and access the ships database, but we were not sure how to do so. It was badly damaged. We did manage to print out a page that each of our pictures on it, but the printer was so bad that we could only make out a single name for each of us. We didn't know if it was our first name, last name or some kind of codename.

"So we decided that for now, till our memories came back we would call ourselves by those names. I am Munoz. Then there was Petra, who looked human and had long blond hair. Then there was Suzanne but we called her Suzy. She was human looking but a slightly different colored skin with long dark hair. There was Kid, he was human and had short dark hair. Océana, she was different like me. She had pink skin and short blond hair, but she had fin like feet and webbed hands. She also had gills on the side of her neck and her pink skin looked a little scaly. The last one, Marko, had short spiked white hair and looked human. Except his eyes were pure whites. He could see but it looked like he had no eyes, just white pupils only," Munoz described his team to them.

"Does not sound like anyone we know from back home," Sage said.

"What happened to them?" Forge asked.

"Our ship was never discovered and we did what we could to fix it up. Kid didn't know how but he seemed to know about the ship and I seemed to gain knowledge too. We couldn't gain access to the computer logs or anything like that but we knew we get the ship running enough to fly.

"Then one day when Kid and Suzy made one of their secret trips to a near by colony to steel things we needed to survive and fix the ship they came running back in fear. They had been caught steeling the final thing we needed to get the ship up and flying. As they were about to be apprehended, out of nowhere some kind of electrical energy came out of Kid's eyes and hands stunning their attackers.

"He didn't know how he did it and he couldn't do it again. A huge mob was coming and we were able to get the ship up and flying. The ship could barely fly but it got us to another planet. We soon found out that one of the beings fried by Kid was the son of a huge crime boss. This boss, we learned put a contract out on us and for years we have been on the run," Munoz told them all.

"Where re all the others?" Sean asked.

"One by one we were captured by these Bounty Hunters until just Kid, Suzy and myself were left. We have no idea if they are alive or what happened to them. We were on another planet, our ship barely able to fly when Suzy voice came screaming over the Com. I couldn't make out what she said about Kid but she said something about one of them being dead weakening their bond. I could see the remaining three bounty hunters were close behind, but no Kid.

"They began firing their weapons and the ship was on the verge of destruction. Suzy was no where near the ship yet and wanted me to take off so that at least one of us could survive to fins a way to save the others. I refused to leave her but hen saw that a massive blast was heading right for the ship. There would be no way the ship would survive.

"Then something weird happened. Suzy began to shimmer and the Bounty Hunters seemed to stop in place, frozen. Suzy's other hand, pointing near the blast seemed to be causing the blast to move very slowly. I don't know how she did that but she them voice commanded the ship to take off and despite my screams the ship blasted out of orbit.

"My ship blew something and I came out of warp and crashed on this place. Not sure how I survived, but I had to get off the ship. I didn't know if the air was breathable or not but if I stayed in the ship, I would die from lack of air, the fire and smoke or go up with the ship if it exploded. So I stepped outside and after a moment of pain it seemed the air was breathable. I made my way to a near by cave where I got trapped and then blacked out waking up now," Munoz finished.

"That's quite the story," Mystique said laughing.

"Well, it seems you're a survivor," Forge said explaining to Munoz about his mutant powers and how the others might have been mutants too somehow from Earth like them.

"It would make since and explain how they did what they did and how some of us looked different," Munoz said after hearing Forge tell him what they discovered along with their story of how they got to this place.

"So you have no idea of where we are or how yo all got here? How worthless are you?" Blob shouted.

"I'm sorry. Like I said, we all have no memories of who we are or anything before waking up on our ship," Munoz sighed.

"It's possible they came through the wormhole like we did and that the trauma gave them all amnesia. We should count our blessing the same didn't happen to us," Sage said.

"So, who are these Bounty Hunters and do you think they followed you?" Forge asked.

"They are beings that have become robotic like. They call themselves the Hunter's Four. There are always four of them and they have a bond that makes them stronger. Whenever one is killed, which is rare, they assimilate another into their collective. It takes a few months for the new person to become like them, but they are all still dangerous. Especially when there are four," Munoz said.

"We are being haled," Sage said suddenly as an alarm went off.

"Patch it through. Let's hope that the universal translator that I built with Sage will work here," Forge said.

"Attention unidentified vessel. We are the Hunter's Four and you have a wanted criminal on board. Turn him over to us and we will let you live. Get in our way and we will kill you to get our contract," the voice came over the Com, first unclear and then understandable.

"Hunter's Four? There are only three of you," Munoz shouted to the air as everyone ran and made their way to the bridge.

"Yes, Kid may have killed one of us, but along the way searching for you we found another that agreed to join us," the voice said over the ship's Com.

They all arrived and Sage put a picture up on the screen. A ship, a little smaller than theirs was sitting across from theirs. Standing on top of the ship was four beings. Three looked humanlike and a four looked like a giant squid with lots of tentacles. All of them were wearing some kind of cybernetic armor.

"May be new to our collective but soon will be fully one of us. Never the less, he is still very dangerous," one of the Hunters said.

"Well, Munoz is under our protection and we will defend him," Forge shouted.

"Then your lives are forfeit. Spark, show them what the new Hunter can do," one of them said.

They all watched as one of the Hunters stepped forward. They could tell that the being was female by her body shape. She held up a gun and it seemed like she was channeling something through it. Suddenly a powerful blast of light hit and rocked the ship.

"From what my readings can detect is that there's some kind of sound being generated through her armor that generates that power through her gun. Their armor is very shielded, I can' t get any other readings on her or the rest of them," sage said.

"Fire on them," Forge comanded as the one called Spark and the other hit the ship with a few more blasts.

"I can't. Those blasts have some how made our systems go off line," Sage said.

"Okay, we need to go out there and take them out before they destroy our only way home. All of you, including Blob, go out there. Munoz will stay in here with Sage and me while we try and get the ship fixed and up and running," Forge said as he tossed a gun Mystique.

"Why, lover," Mystique smiled.

"Don't worry. You point that gun at any one of us and it will self destruct," Forge smiled back as they all headed out, including Blob who was forced to go by Mystique.

They all stood out there facing the Bounty Hunters. Sean opened the Com from his suit and invoked his sonic powers. He stood there shocked as he realized sound did not carry in space and he was in fact powerless. Spark flipped onto the ground and blasted him backward with a blast.

The squid hunter kept firing at Blob but found that it could not harm or move the massive mutant. As the squid kept firing, the mutant kept inching his way closer. This squid then leapt up and landed on Blob and began to try and strangle Fred with its tentacles.

Mystique was able to leap and dodge the blasts of the other Hunter. As they went round and round, she was not getting lazy but analyzing her appoints weakness. When she found it and got a good shot, she would take it and then put an end to this foul creature.

Polaris stood in front of who seemed to be the leader of the Hunter's Four. She looked and could tell that the creature was male. Not only from they way it stood but from the deep voice when it spoke. She knew there was no magnetic force she could tap into on this satellite, but she new she could tap into herself and when she got close enough, take out the guy for that armor had to be metal.

"You dare face me? I am Zekk, leader and most dangerous of the Four," Zekk said as he blasted Polaris.

The blast hit Polaris, but didn't hurt her as he had expected. Her secondary mutation allowed her to absorb the negative energy from people and make her stronger and tougher. She couldn't draw on the Hunter's because there was no emotion coming from them, but she got plenty from her teammates. She ran up and punched Zekk backwards. She didn't need her primary power to be powerful.

Sean grabbed a rock and through it hard at Spark. She leapt out of the way giving him a chance to catch his breath and stand up. He would have to tap into his Interpol days to survive this without powers. After a few minutes he stealthy made his way around and leapt on Spark. She was not fully one of them so was still mainly human and easily fooled.

As he got behind her, he put his helmet near hers so sound would carry and he cut loose. Spark dropped to the ground holding her head as her voice went from a yell to a very shrieking female human scream. Mystique was passing by and was going to take a shot to help him but he warned her to stop.

"Stop, that scream sounded oddly familiar. You handle your guy, I can handle mine," Sean said as Mystique went back to her opponent.

Sean ran up to the Hunter and did the same trick but this time produced a level scream that would render her unconscious. He turned her over and looked into her helmet's visor and his suspicions were true. He could make out enough of the eyes and face to be sure who it was.

"Forge, you won't believe this, but Spark is Alison, the Dazzler," Sean relayed into his Com.

"Sean, we have the ship back online. Get her inside. We will deal with her later," Forge said as Sean lifted Dazzler over his shoulder and ran for the ship.

The collective had grown weak. Spark had been taken out and Mystique had seen Blob rip the helmet off the squid and when he saw it didn't need air to function smashed its cybernetic head. It seemed that the longer they were in the collective the more robotic they became. Forge couldn't hold that against them. Now she had her opening and jumped onto the back of her opponent and blasted hit dead in the face with her gun and finishing it off.

"No!" Zekk stumbled.

"Looks like you're down to one. You may claim to be the best Bounty Hunter around but you are nothing compared to the X-Men," Polaris said landing another punch to the cybernetic bounty hunter known as Zekk causing his armor to crack from her combined strength and tapping into her magnetic powers.

"That is not enough to stop me," Zekk said.

"No, but this is," Polaris said as she stuck her finger into the armor crack.

She could feel the electricity and energy form the damaged suit. She tapped into that and called forth her powers. Suddenly the armor was ripped to pieces right off of Zekk's body. Polaris got back to her feet to see a man standing in front of her, naked of his armor. He looked far more robotic than humanoid. He staggered and then looked right at her.

"You think that will stop me?" Zekk said, as he seemed to nod toward his ship.

Polaris saw the Hunter's ship come to life and a large cannon swing around and point right at her. She closed her eyes as she felt a wave of power go off. When she didn't feel dead she looked to see that the X-Ship was back on line and had fired on the Hunter's ship blowing apart the cannon. A second blast went out and blew a hole into the side of the Hunter's ship. Before Zekk could react, a third blast hit him sending him back and into the crater they had found Munoz in. Polaris headed back to the ship as a fourth blast sealed the crater.

"Thanks, Forge," Lorna said as she and her fellow X-men headed back into the ship.

When Lorna had walked into the infirmary she saw Alison Blair on a table. They had been able to get the armor off of her but she still had cybernetic pieces all over her skin. Forge told them that she hadn't been bonded long enough to make it critical but it would take a while before they could figure out how to remove the remaining tech graphed to her skin and make her fully human again.

"So how is Dazzler?" Sean asked Forge an hour later when he had run into him in the kitchen.

"She has no memory of anything past the point of waking up and being found by the Hunter's. She knows that they were bad but they forced her into the bond and had to comply. She poses no threat, but for now, until we can get that tech off her and make her human again we will have to make due," Forge said.

"You mean you can't find a way?" Sean laughed.

"No, this tech is highly alien and I don't want to risk damaging her nervous system. It seems to be bonded to it, which is why she has enhanced reflexes and senses. I hope, that maybe in time being away from the bond will cause it to die and fall off," Forge said.

"What about her memory?" Sean asked.

"Well, I am guessing like Munoz, she lost her memory when coming through the wormhole. Sage is going to look into trying to find away to get her memory back and also see if she can't tap into the cyber parts in her head and see if she can find a way to pull data or tacking on where Munoz's friends are. Until then, she insists on being called Spark and will not answer to anything else," Forge said.

"So, I guess this means that the other X-men could stil be out there and that they could also have amnesia?" Sean asked.

"Yes, I am afraid that is a big possibility," Forge said.

"Polaris to Forge, Sage is back and we are ready for take off," Polaris said over the Com.

"On my way," Forge said as he and Sean headed to the bridge.

"Why did you want to go back to Munoz's ship?" Forge asked as everyone took their seats and prepared for blast off.

"Munoz has agreed to join us and he wanted to gather what remaining supplies were salvageable from his ship. I also extracted the Black Box from their ship," Sage said.

"Black Box? Wasn't their system completely fried?" Forge asked.

"Yes, but I might be able to crack the code and pull information from it. If I'm successful, I might be able to learn what all happened to them and if they are from Earth and how they got here. Could be a clue to getting us home," Sage said.

"Good thinking," Forge said.

"Where are we headed?" Polaris asked.

"According to the MAP, the nearest planet is here," Forge said pointing on the screen. "We should be able to reach it with our fully repaired ship in about a day."

"Why there?" Mystique asked.

"That is, by far the only habitable planet that is nearby. Also, it is in the direction that Munoz came when he escaped. We think it might be the planet he came from. We are going there to see if maybe we can find his friends. Also, maybe we can learn more on where we are and how to get home by actually meeting and talking with other living life forms," Forge said.

"Plus, thanks to pieces of Spark's armor incorporated into our newly redesigned tracking devise we can now get a tracking read if we get near any of our fellow X-men or Brotherhood. Also, thanks to a few bio scans we got from Munoz's ship and the fact they might be mutants from Earth, we might be able to pick up their reading too," sage said.

"That's good news," Sean said.

"Yes, especially since I am getting a faint reading that might be coming from that planet," Forge said as they blasted off into Warp Speed.

**Next: Issue #5 – The Broad Affair **


	6. The Brood Affair

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #5– The Brood Affair**

**_Brotherhood of Mutants – Unknown Planet_**

"We've been on this planet for weeks. I'm getting tired of eating fish and fruit from trees," Toad complained.

"Well, at least you can move about. I'm still stuck in my leg casts," Mammomax said.

"Not my worries," Toad said as he leapt away from the giant elephant man.

"I wish there was more I could do," Magneto said as Storm walked up to his constructed home.

"You've done all you could. For whatever reason, Mammomax's legs won't heal. At least you can move him to and from his home," Ororo said.

"Yeah, your right. In a few short weeks we have managed to make a home away from home, just wish we could find a way off this place," Erik said.

"Don't worry, we will. There has to be others alive and maybe they'll find us," Ororo said.

"Always the optimist, my dear. Will they find us before I loose my control and Sabretooth kills you all. He too is getting tired of fish," Erik chuckled.

"Well, he knows better. With his healing factor, worse comes to worse, he is an endless supply of meat," Ororo said as they both laughed.

"I don't like it one bit," Piotr, the mutant known as Colossus said.

"What's that?" Heather, the mutant known as Lifeguard asked.

"How Storm just lets Magneto take control. He's not my leader or boss. Plus, I think they are getting too friendly, if you know what I mean," Colossus said.

"Well, Erik really doesn't seem like a bad guy. I don't think he will let anything happen to any of us. As for Storm, she knows what she's doing," Heather said.

"I hope so. Sleeping with the enemy, gosh," Colossus faked a gagging motion.

"Well, stranded on an unknown planet isolated from anyone else, unexpected attractions tend to happen," Heather said as she looked over at Sabretooth.

"What you doing in here, Creed?" Toad asked landing next to Sabretooth.

"Quiet before I gut ya," Victor said as he leaned into the trees and sniffed again.

"What're you smelling?" Toad asked.

"For the last few days I have felt like we were being watched. I have been trying to track what ever it is, but this planet plays with my senses," Creed said.

"Have you told Magneto?" Toad asked.

"I, wait," Victor said as he leapt deep into the forest.

"Magneto, come quick! Sabretooth is after something!" Toad shouted as he heard Creed's loud growling and a large commotion.

"What is it?" Ororo asked as she and Magneto ran up to Toad.

"They are not that far into the woods. I can feel and grab hold of three forms," Magneto said as he reached out with his powers.

Lifeguard and Colossus came running up behind them as Magneto used his powers to pull three forms out of the woods and toss them on the beach. One of them was Sabretooth and the other two were purple skinned humanoid creatures. They had no hair and giant circular eyes. Other than that and their skin color they looked human. Magneto approached them as he used his powers to hold them down as well as Creed.

"Let me go. I almost had them," Sabretooth snarled.

"These are the first humanoid beings we have met and I want them alive, for now," Erik snapped as he let them all go and he turned to the creatures.

"(&(&," said one of the creatures.

"I'm sorry but I can't understand you," Erik said turning to Ororo.

"Great, how are we suppose to communicate," Colossus mumbled.

"They said they don't mean any harm," Mammomax shouted towards them.

"What? You can understand them?" Storm asked as Magneto moved him closer to the rest of the group.

"Yes, it's my secondary mutation. I can understand and communicate with any living being," Mammomax said.

"Ask them who they are and what they were doing out there spying on us," Creed snapped.

"#$(&)(&," Mammomax said lifting his trunk as a weird language blasted out of it.

"They say they are known as the Galear. They have been stranded on this planet for years. They have never been able to find a way off. There are just a few of them that live off deep in the forest. They never venture off far, because those that have gone exploring have never returned. Then they saw things falling from the sky and they were sent to investigate and observe us to determine if we are friend or foe. They were just about to report back to their village when Victor surprised them," Mammomax said after a lengthy conversation with the Galear.

"I say we invade their camp and take what supplies we can," Toad shouted.

"No, we'll do no such thing," Storm shouted.

"We don't take orders from you, weather witch," Creed snarled.

"That's enough!" Erik shouted, "We will take our two friends here back to our camp. I would like to talk more and see if maybe we can pull our camp with theirs and share knowledge. We might find a clue to where we are and how to get back home," Magneto said as they all headed back to their camp with their two new friends.

"Heather?" Colossus said as he turned back.

"Piotr, go on. I want to peek into the woods. I'll be back later," Lifeguard said as she started to head into the woods.

"You can't," Colossus began.

"Piotr, I can handle myself. Plus, my powers will keep me safe," Heather said as she vanished into the woods.

"What're you up to?" Heather asked approaching the man sniffing the ground.

"Leave me alone, go back to camp," Creed snarled.

"Victor, quit trying to be mister bad guy. We're all friends now," Heather said sitting on a tree stump near him.

"We are not friends, sweetheart," Creed glared at her. "I could kill you right now you know that?"

"But you won't," Heather smiled, "so, what are you doing?"

"There's something on their scent that is just not right. Plus, I got a faint familiar whiff from them. Got it!" Creed said.

"Got what?" Heather asked.

"I know which way their camp is. I think I better go check it out before our so called leader decides to make friendly with the aliens," Victor said as he moved to pounce off deeper into the woods.

"I'll come with you," Heather said.

"No, you'll stay here," Creed turned back and snapped taking off.

"Men!" heather swore as she ran off after him.

_**Hidden Underground Base**_

"Master, it has been weeks since you have come topside," Ozymandias said.

"There is nothing but wasteland up there. My time is needed down here," Apocalypse said.

"I see you have come a long way," Ozy said looking around.

"Yes, we were fortunate to have crashed and survived within the laboratory section of the base. I have got everything up and running. My experiment I have been monitoring, I've found a way to tap into it and give small portions of power to this chamber over here for me to regenerate in. I may not be able to gain full power but enough to keep me strong until my Horseman are created," Apocalypse said.

"Are you sure about this?" Ozy said looking at a body trapped within a glowing chamber.

"Yes, if your visions are true, I will need seven very powerful Horsemen. In the past my downfall was allowing the chance of free will. This time, due to our situation too, I will find the strongest and force them into their Horsemen role," Apocalypse said.

"How unfortunate for this one," Ozy said tapping the chamber.

"Yes, but fortunate for me that we found the body laying next to me when we gained consciousness first. I don't fear that this one I didn't get a chance to test first, but I needed to get the machine built and running. The others will be better selected but if we open this chamber and we are a success then it was worth it," Apocalypse said.

"True, but if it fails, we don't have unlimited resources to keep testing," Ozy said as Apocalypse motioned for him to open the chamber.

The chamber door opened and a naked figure walked out. Ozy could see the woman's skin had been turned deep blue. Her eyes were glowing yellow and her once brown hair with bangs of white was now all white. She looked down and saw that the tips of her fingers had been replaced with suction cup like discs. As she stepped closer, a machine moved in and encased her body with blue armor with a red F on the chest. Only her head and hands were uncovered. She looked right at Apocalypse and kneeled.

"Rise, Rouge. From now on you will be known as Famine and will forever serve me as my Horseman," Apocalypse said.

"I'm Famine and I only live to serve the Apocalypse," Famine said as she rose.

**_Brotherhood of Mutants – Unknown Planet_**

"I should kill you know," Creed snapped.

"Hey, you might need my help," Lifeguard said as Victor looked into her eyes.

"I doubt that, but since you are here and if you want to stay alive keep quiet and do as I say," Sabretooth snarled as he released her throat and dropped her to the ground.

Lifeguard had made it about a mile when Sabretooth jumped out of nowhere and had grabbed her by the throat pinning her to a tree. He was not happy that she had followed him. His first instinct was to gut her, but something made him change his mind. He didn't fear Magneto, so he couldn't fathom why he would spare her, for now.

In silence, Lifeguard followed Sabretooth deeper into the jungle. After about an hour or two Creed motioned for her to stop and keep quiet. They had come to the edge of a cliff that overlooked a valley below. Heather glanced and could see a bunch of stone huts. Built high up on a large rock was a throne where, what looked like a female Galear sat with a guard next to her. There were about twenty purple skinned figures standing below her and what appeared to be a figure tied to a stone table.

"Let's move down closer and get a better look," Sabretooth whispered.

As they got closer they saw a male Galear with decaying flesh addressing the other Galear. They noticed a lot of them, including the female on the throne had different degrees of decaying flesh. The female on the throne looked to be the worst of them all. They both sat quietly as they listened to the Galear speak.

"As you all know, we need hosts to survive long term on this planet. We have also discovered that the bodies of the Galear can't host us for very long. Their bodies began to decay over time. We believe that this creature we found near our camp a few days ago is part of the lights that we saw falling from the sky a few weeks ago. The body chemistry we are sure is very compatible.

"As appointed leader by the Queen, I get to take this one. Once the others report back with what they found, and there are others like this one, we will attack and take them as hosts. The strongest of them will be given to the Queen and what ever is left over will be given to those the Queen feels worthy. If there aren't enough to go around, we will search for others.

"Once the Queen has a suitable host we will then work to find a way off this planet. Now, the Queen has deemed this host ready for me to take," the male Galear said as he approached the figure tied to the table.

Heather looked closer and was able to make out the knocked out figure on the table. It was Cain Marko, the X-man and former Brotherhood member known as Juggernaut. He was missing his helmet, but he looked to be okay. Before either of them could react, the Galear suddenly shucked it's skin revealing a hideous looking creature. Heather knew that creature from the X-Men files.

"Oh my God! Those creatures are Brood!" Heather accidentally screamed out loud.

The Queen screamed, as they all looked their direction. Disregarding their Queen's orders all the Brood shucked their Galear skins and attacked. The Queen and her bodyguard remained in Galear skin as the Queen ordered them to be taken alive. The Queen shook her head, worse case; she had the body of the large creature on the table. The Queen slowly, with her decaying skin, made her way down toward the creature on the stone table.

"This ought to be fun," Sabretooth said as he leapt right into the swarm of Brood.

One of the Brood grabbed Heather and tried to take her. The creature reeled back in pain as Lifeguard's powers kicked in and bio-morphed her skin into something that caused a powerful feedback if the Brood touched her. She was in a panic. There were just too many of them and she had lost track of Creed. She had read the files, a handful of X-men barely took them down, how were two suppose to handle twenty of them?

Heather suddenly tripped and hit the ground. She turned around to see two Brood nearing her. Just as they leapt, two bolts of lightening came from the sky hitting them. An electrical shock wave hit Lifeguard sending her flying backwards. Thankfully, her powers had kicked in and made her skin resistant to electricity or she would have been killed. She rubbed her eyes and looked ahead.

The two Brood that had attacked were laying on the ground, dead and smoking. She glanced up and saw Storm and Magneto flying into battle. Toad was right behind them jumping from Brood head to Brood head. She looked for one other person when a steel hand helped her up.

"Piotr, thank you," Heather said.

"Your lucky we got here. Running off after him like that," Colossus shook his head.

"How did you guys find us?" Heather asked.

"Right after you left, we sat and talked with the Galear. I had pulled Erik and Ororo aside to tell them about you two taking off into the jungle. As we were talking and deciding what to do, Toad screamed and we turned to see a Brood on top of Mammomax and the other shucking his skin ready to take Toad. They must have gotten anxious.

"Storm fried them with lightening bolts, but had nearly killed Mammomax and Toad. Seems that with this atmosphere, she can't control the lightening level. Any strike is lethal. Anyway, you are a bad tracker so we were able to find your trail," Colossus said as he pushed her aside to take on a few approaching Broods.

Magneto swore under his breath. This planet made his power use hard to control. Unknown to anyone, it took great energy to just lift himself or others. He wasn't as powerful as he once was, which made it hard to fight the Brood. He did what he could to toss them back and forth. He looked over and saw Creed.

Sabretooth had dived right into battle and was worse for wear. His healing factor was barely keeping up with his wounds. That didn't matter, he was enjoying the battle. He had already killed three and wouldn't stop till they were all gone. A part of him wondered about Heather, but he couldn't let that distract him. He roared as he tore apart another Brood.

The Queen had made it to the stone table where Juggernaut laid still. She shucked her skin revealing her true form. She didn't have time to waste. She would take the giant man as her host. Just as she leapt upon the man, a strong wind picked her up and flung her to the ground. She looked up to see the weather witch standing near her.

"You will pay for that," the Queen's bodyguard shouted from above them.

Storm looked up to see the bodyguard shuck his skin and the brood ready to leap down from the throne. Storm called forth her powers and a series of lightening bolts shot down. One struck the bodyguard dead the others went wild. Shock waves hit Cain, Magneto and Colossus. The strikes didn't kill them but it stunned them giving their Brood a chance to gain an upper hand.

Before Storm could see how they fared rocks from above had loosened from the strike and had come falling down. When the dust cleared storm could see what she had instantly felt. Her legs and midriff was trapped under rock. She turned her head as she saw the Queen leap on top of her.

"I do believe you will make a better host. Such power I taste in you," the Queen said baring her teeth.

"Get off me or else," Storm said beginning to panic from her near claustrophobia.

"Or else? I don't think you're in a position to threaten me. You wouldn't risk another strike without killing yourself or your friends near by," the Queen laughed.

"I warned you," Storm snapped back.

"You are now mine," the Queen started to say and then went silent.

Two large hands had come up behind her and grabbed her head. In an instant the head snapped and the lifeless body of the queen was tossed to the side. Storm looked up to see Juggernaut swaying near her. He had saved her life, but barely looked like he could save himself.

"Cain, are you a sight for sore eyes," Storm said.

"You're lightening bolt was enough to shock me awake but I am still very dizzy," Cain said dropping to one knee.

"Whatever hit you hard enough to remove your helmet must have given you quite the concussion," Storm said trying to get the rocks off of her.

"Allow me," Magneto said as the rocks suddenly flew off her body.

She slowly sat up as she saw Magneto limp near her. He looked worse for wear too. She glanced around and saw that all the Brood had been killed and the rest of her Brotherhood was approaching. Lifeguard and Colossus looked fine as Toad jumped out of a tree he had finally hid in. They all looked at Sabretooth as he sat off to the side. Severely wounded and blood all over himself he looked like he was barely alive.

"Victor!" Heather said walking up to him.

"Back off, I'm fine," Creed said as heather could see the wounds beginning to close and heal.

"Fine," Heather said walking back to the others and Creed smiled to himself.

"Looks like we all survived and found an old friend," Ororo said getting up and checking on Cain.

"I don't remember much of anything. One minute we were on the base battling Apocalypse, then the next I woke up on that table surrounded by Brood," Cain mumbled holding his head.

"If Cain was found here, then maybe there are others somewhere on this planet," Heather said.

"It's possible, but if the Galear and the Brood are here, then what else could be on this planet and where is this planet located?" Erik said as he looked around at the jungle that surrounded them.

**Next: Issue #6 – War of the Worlds – Part One **


	7. War of the Worlds Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #6– War of the Worlds – Part One**

_**The X-men – In Space**_

"How are we doing?" Forge asked looking over at Sage.

"We are completely cloaked. The planet below is not too technically advance, so they shouldn't be able to sense us," Sage said.

"We are detecting a mutant signature somewhere below. If what Munoz tells us, it should be either Kid or Suzy. This is where both were last before he ran into us," Sean, the mutant known as Banshee said.

"Speaking of, how is he doing? Any more luck with the black box?" Forge asked.

"He's adjusting well. I think more than anything he would like to find his friends and somehow get his memories back. I've had no luck with the box. I even tried the device you made and I still can't repair it enough to pull the data from it. I'll keep trying," Sage said.

"Good, more than anything I want to know if they are from Earth and how they got here. It could be the clue to getting home," Forge said.

"Seems weird how they lost their memory but we didn't," Sean said.

"What ever that wormhole was, it may have different effects on different people. Maybe we were well protected inside this ship. How is Allison doing? Any luck with her memories?" Sage asked.

"No, all she remembers is being found by those bounty hunters and being forced to join them. I have been able to get most of the tech off her but she still has pieces grafted on her. She is allowing me to help her revert back, only because she had a brief moment where she recalled Lorna's face," Forge said.

"Really? Then there is hope her memory will come back," Sean said.

"We can only wait and see. Sage, how are our other guests?" Forge asked as Sage typed in a bunch of sequences.

"Lorna is with Munoz and Allison. She is reviewing old files again with them to see if either of them can recall Earth or the X-Men. Blob is watching over Avalanche's body. Which, he still shows no sign of waking up. And Mystique is," Sage began reporting.

"Right behind you, Lover," Raven said as she stepped up behind Forge.

"I wish you wouldn't call me that. You know you don't have to hide. We all agreed to a truce and would work together to find a way home," Forge said glaring at her.

"Oh, you know you like it. We may have a truce, but I will never let my guard down. You should know me well enough by now," Mystique said licking her lips a little.

"Sorry, I try and block certain memories out. Sage, alert the crew to meet in the debriefing room in ten minutes. I want to go over the plans for the away mission," Forge said as he pushed past the smiling Raven.

Sage rolled her eyes at the two as she sent the notice to all members aboard the ship.

**_The Brotherhood – Unknown Planet_**

"Storm, you think we can still trust Cain?" Colossus asked.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Storm said as she slowed her steps.

"I know he used to be a member of the Brotherhood long before he joined the X-Men. Since we found him, he seems to really be chummy with Toad and the others," Colossus said nodding ahead of them.

"Charles believes in his brother and he has proven himself over and over again. I know it may seem like we are out numbered but I don't think we have anything to fear from him or any of the brotherhood," Storm said as she picked up her pace to catch up to Magneto.

"You may be right, but I'll be keeping my eyes open," Colossus murmured under his breath.

Colossus had never felt so alone, even with his fellow X-Men. Ororo was getting chummy with Magneto while Heather seemed to be obsessing with Creed. He had thought with finding Cain he would have a pal but Juggy seems to busy with his old friends. Colossus sighed as he glanced at the giant man carrying the elephant form of Mammomax. It would all be okay; soon they would be off this planet and would soon find the others.

After they had saved Juggernaut and defeated the Brood, they searched the area. With the Brood and the Galear on this planet their had to be signs of another ship. Not to far from the stone table they came into a clearing. There they found a large cave next to a giant waterfall. Not only did the cave prove a better place to take shelter, but also the waterfall produced drinkable water. To the right of the waterfall was a group of trees baring tons of fruit. It was what was to the left of the waterfall that sealed the deal.

That's where they had found the ship that belonged to the Galear. Even though it was damaged and powerless, it was still in one piece. When the Galear had crashed they had manage to keep the ship from being totally destroyed. Magneto was completely convinced that, with time they might be able to get it up and running. With everyone in agreement, they had decided to move camp here next to the ship where they could protect and fix their way home.

They had spent the rest of the day bringing everything from their camp to here. This also included any pieces of their wreckage they could use to help fix and restore the Galear ship. It wasn't as big as the X-Men's ship but it would be big enough to transport all of them to their next destination. They had no idea if it would work, but as long as they had hope nothing would stop them from trying.

"Just throw him there," Creed said as they reached their new camp.

Cain sat Mammomax down by the mouth of the cave. At the sound of their arrival Lifeguard came out. She had been spending most of the day turning the cave into a place to live. The mouth of the cave was the only way in, but it was deep and large enough that they were able to have their own areas to sleep in. This made Piotr nervous, but Creed choosing to sleep outside the cave eased him a little.

"So you really think we can get this baby up and running?" Ororo asked.

"I'm no Forge, but I think if we all pool our resources together we just might," Magneto said as he led Storm to the ship.

"Magneto, aren't you afraid that their might be more of them Brood out there?" Toad whined.

"Who knows what's out there, but Creed searched the area and didn't find traces of any other life forms," Magneto responded.

"Take them!" Shouted a voice from above.

They all turned to see five large figures floating in the sky. Their suits glowed so bright that it was hard to make out what the creatures looked like. Without warning, one of the creatures blasted a powerful beam from its suit hitting the tree Toad crouched upon causing a large explosion. When the dust cleared, Magneto could see no sign of the tree or Toad. Magneto turned as the five creatures headed straight for them.

_**Hidden Underground Base**_

"Master, you called for me?" Ozymandias asked as he came down into the lab.

"Yes, servant. How goes Famine's training?" Apocalypse asked.

"Very well. Not much to train on besides those dreadful mutations you found still alive," the stone man said.

"I have selected and created my next Horseman. Ozy, meet Pestilence," Apocalypse said stepping aside.

Ozymandias stared at the second Horseman. Just like the first, the man had deep blue skin and wore blue armor with a red P on the chest. The armor covered his whole body except for is head. Ozy saw that Pestilence's armor had spikes all over it. When looking closer he saw that the spikes were not a part of the armor but actually poked through it and were hair like. The spikes were apart of his skin just as his bald head and face were covered in these spikes. The man was not very tall but his glowing yellow eyes would put the fear in anyone.

"Well done, my lord. May I ask, why the spikes?" Ozy asked.

"Pestilence, if you would," the giant evil mutant comanded.

Pestilence walked over to where a few mutations had been caged. The soft spikes suddenly became stiff and sharp. In a quick movement, the spikes flew from his body and headed for the mutations. Upon impact they exploded in a dust of smoke as new spikes reappeared on his body. The mutations, covered in the green dust began to cough. In a matter of moments they all started throwing up and then soon remained motionless.

"I should have known. Pestilence, of course brings sickness," Ozy smiled as Apocalypse laughed loudly.

_**The X-men – In Space**_

"I don't want to stay here," Blob shouted.

"Fred, please. You would stand out too much down there. Plus, who else is going to stay up here and keep an eye on Avalanche and our only means of getting home?" Mystique said.

"I guess your right, but I don't have to like it," Blob said crossing his arms in a tantrum.

"Okay, now that we have that taken care of, let's go. Sage, keep communications open and be ready for anything," Forge said as he headed for the transporter room that he and Sage had built with some of the technology from Darwin's ship.

"You got it, and Forge, be careful," Sage said as she worked the controls.

The planet below was the place Munoz had come from and the last known location of where he had left Kid and Suzy. They believed one of them had to be down there due to the mutant tracker that they had created picking up a reading. They would go down there, search the area and try and fined either of them.

Forge, Banshee, Mystique, Spark and Munoz would be the team to go down. Forge wanted Spark incase her bounty hunter tech still graphed to her picked up anything or jogged her memories. Munoz had to go since he would be the only one to truly identify his friends and help retrace their steps.

Sage threw the switch and the five mutants vanished in a display of lights. A few seconds later, Forge and his team were standing on a grassy field. They had landed not to far from where Munoz's ship had taken off. You could still see scorched marks from the ship's thrusters. Forge noted a small dirt road leading off into the distance.

"That road takes you to the city. That is the way Kid and Suzy went and then Suzy came running back from," Munoz said recalling his time here.

"I see no signs of anything here, but the tracker is picking up something in the direction of the city," Forge said.

"Picking up anything, Spark?" Banshee asked.

"No. Remember that I was taken after Zekk and the other Hunters had left this planet. I am picking up faint impressions that they did apprehend someone and had taken them back to the city," Spark said. Having been a part of the Bounty Hunter's collective, she was still able to recall their memories at times.

"Sage, Forge here. We are going to head to the city. I'll keep in touch. Forge out," Forge said into his comm.

The five mutants headed down the dirt road. They soon could see a city on the horizon. As they got closer they could see that a large wall surrounded it. The only way in was a large gate where two massive guards stood. As they watched they saw another figure arguing with the guards. Soon, the guards blasted the figure and called for another guard to remove the body.

"How are we going to get in?" Forge said.

"I have an idea. They will recognize me as a Bounty Hunter and if Mystique here shifts into the form of Zekk we will easily gain entrance. We will claim you other three as our bounties," Spark said.

"I don't know about that," Sean began to say.

"She is right. It may be our only way in. Raven, you think you can pull this off?" Forge asked.

"Anything for you, lover," Raven said as she became Zekk.

"Here," Forge said as he placed glowing devices around his, Banshee's and Munoz's hands to make them look like prisoners.

Mystique, in disguise and Spark lead the other three mutants to the front gate. Forge had to admit he was nervous. Mystique was a loose cannon and Allison still wasn't herself. He had to believe that they would come through and pull this off. They stopped as the guards shouted. Thanks to the universal translators, they could communicate with them.

"What business do you have within the city of Essej?" One of the guards asked.

"We are Bounty Hunters. He are bringing our bounty into the city so we can collect," Spark said.

"Let them through," the other guard shouted.

"Wait a minute. We can't just let them in," the first guard said.

"Yes we can. That there is Zekk. I would recognize that foul creature anywhere. I was on guard the last time he came through here with a young female bounty," the second guard said as Munoz's eyes grew wide and Forge whispered for him to remain calm.

"That is right. I'm the big bad Zekk. If you don't let me in, my employer may make you his next bounty," Mystique said as Forge shook his head.

"Yeah, I've heard of you. Terrible things of course. Let them though," the first guard said as the gate opened.

"The five mutants made their way through and the gates closed behind them. In the center of the city was a giant fortress. Shops, homes and other buildings made up the surrounding area between the fortress and the gates. Creatures and strange humanoid beings walked all about. They quickly made their way to an alley as Mystique changed back and Forge removed the devises from their wrists.

"So, now where do we go?" Banshee asked rubbing his wrists.

"Suzy has to be here somewhere. That female he talked about had to be her," Munoz said.

"Hold up. We don't want to go charging off. If she's still here, we'll find her," Forge said checking his tracker.

"Does the tracker give off any readings" Sean asked.

"I'm picking up something from that way. It looks to be an Inn of sorts," Forge said.

"I hate to differ, but I am getting faint impressions that a confrontation happened over here. I also seem to recall a figure being dragged to the fortress. Whether they are one or two separate memories I am not sure," Spark said.

"Okay, let's split up. Banshee, you take Spark and head towards the fortress. Spark, see if you can pick up any other memories. Do not try and penetrate the fortress. See what you can find out and we will catch up to you later. Mystique, Darwin and I will head into the Inn to see what we can find out with the tracker," Forge said as they split.

Forge and his team headed into the Inn. There were aliens everywhere, talking, shouting and drinking. Forge and his friends took a seat at a table while he looked around glancing at his tracker. Their mutant was somewhere in this Inn. He was about to comm the others when a young human looking lady with long dark hair approached their table.

"What can I get you?" the waitress asked.

"Nothing right now," Forge began when he was cut off.

"Suzy? Is that you?" Munoz shouted as the waitress dropped her tray of glasses and stared in shock at Munoz.

Banshee and Spark had made it to the outskirts of the fortress. Spark had no other impressions at this time. Banshee pulled her back when a large commotion could be seen. What looked like warriors were running around, as the fortress appeared to be fortifying for a war. His translator was picking up things like, war has been declared, Semaj is coming and the King has issued a state of emergency.

"What is going on?" Sean whispered.

"War," Spark said flatly.

"Put your hands up. You are under arrest, Greb spies," a voice shouted as banshee and Spark found them surrounded by dozens of guards with giant weapons pointed right at them.

"Sage, we need help," Sean said invoking his comm. "Forge? Sage? Anyone?"

Sean began to panic as static was the only thing to come from his comm.

"What's going on?" Polaris asked

"I don't know. Sean buzzed and then I lost him. I can't seem to reach him or anyone. I'm getting nothing but static from all their comm systems," Sage said.

"What's causing it?" Polaris asked.

"I don't know. Some kind of interference coming from somewhere, but from where I don't know," Sage said punching the console.

"Maybe it's coming from that?" Blob said pointing at the monitor showing the space outside.

Sage and Polaris stared at the viewing screen and both turned pure white. It appeared that dropping out of warp space all around the planet was a huge battalion of vessels. It looked like war was being declared on the planet below and they were going to be caught in the middle of it.

**Next: Issue #7 – War of the Worlds – Part Two **


	8. War of the Worlds Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #7– War of the Worlds – Part Two**

_**The X-men – In Space**_

"You think they've noticed us?" Polaris asked as she checked the console.

"No, I don't think so. Our cloaking devise seems to be far more advanced than their fleet's technology," Sage said as her fingers typed at a rapid speed.

"Any word from the away team?" Polaris asked.

"Nothing. Whatever's emitting from those ships, it's blocking communications planet side. I can't even get a lock to use the transporters," Sage said.

"We can't take the ship down. It's too big to land with this attack going on," Polaris said.

"I think we should move a safe distance from the planet and come up with a rescue plan," Sage said.

"We ain't going nowhere without Mystique," Blob shouted as he ripped a chair form the floor and threw it at Polaris.

Polaris used her powers and swatted the chair to the side. The chair hit a console next to Sage causing sparks to fly. Sage quickly moved her fingers as she assessed the damage. Blob began to move forward as Polaris moved to block his path calling on her powers.

"Blob, you idiot. You just knocked out our cloaking. Polaris, subdue him before he destroys this ship. I've got to get the cloak back up and get us out of here before we're noticed," Sage said as she moved as fast as she could.

"I won't let you leave her," Fred Dukes shouted as he began to grab another chair.

"I've had about enough of you," Polaris said as she used her powers to grab the chair from his hands and wrap it around his face.

Blob let out a massive roar and stomped his foot. The floor cracked and shook from the impact. Polaris lost her balance for a second but that was long enough for Blob to gain the upper hand. He ripped the chair from his face and flung it. A piece of the metal chair hit Polaris sending her backward against the wall. Sage was about to react when the ship beeped indicating an incoming hail.

"Attention unidentified ship. You're being placed under Greb control. Lower your shields or be destroyed," the hail informed them.

"Great, I don't have time for this. I'm getting us out of here," Sage said as she began to power up the thrusters.

"Back away," Sage heard from behind her as the floor beneath her ripped upwards sending her into the air. Sage came down hard as her chair she was sitting on landed atop the console causing a loud noise. The ship went dark and then dimmed lightly as the emergency backup kicked on.

"Blob, you just knocked out the ship's power. It'll take me at least five to ten minutes to get main power back on," Sage said as she moved to pick her self up off the floor.

"That wasn't me," Blob said as he, Sage and Polaris turned towards the entryway where a man only dressed in a pair of shorts stood trying to keep his strength to stand. "Dom?" Blob asked.

"No one's going anywhere till I find out what the hell's going on," Avalanche said with a scowl.

**_The X-Men- Planet Side_**

"Munoz, is that really you?" Suzy said screaming as she threw her arms around the young, bald man.

"Yes. I can't believe it," Munoz said as he stepped back releasing Suzy's hold and smiling at her.

"I hate to break up this lovely reunion, but I think the spectators are staring," Mystique said nodding toward the staring eyes.

"Is there a place we can go and talk in private," Forge said as he heard a commotion coming from outside.

"Yes, go up to room eleven. That's my room, I'll be up in a few moments," Suzy said as she pointed to a staircase.

Forge led a reluctant Munoz and Mystique up to room eleven as Suzy cleaned up her mess. She couldn't believe Munoz was here. She never thought she'd see him again. It had only been a week or so since she forced him to take off in their ship, but it seemed like an eternity. She took her tray back and told the innkeeper that she was going to take her break. She quickly ran up to her room where she found the older man and the strange blue woman snapping at each other.

"What? I just asked if the hotel room was giving you any ideas," Mystique laughed.

"Yeah, to test gravity by throwing you out the window," Forge said and went quiet as he saw Suzy enter and close the door.

"Suzy," Munoz said smiling seeing a familiar face again.

"I'm still in shock. What happened to you and who are your friends?" Suzy asked wanting to catch up.

Forge played with his comm unit as Munoz told her everything that had happened to him form the moment he left this planet, met the X-Men and ended up back here. Suzy felt relief to know that there were a few others and that his new friends wanted to help them. Even though she was glad to hear they salvaged the black box in attempt to unlock their past and that they may all be from the same world, she couldn't get her mind off the fact they had a large powerful ship.

"We need to find your other friends and get off this planet," Suzy said with excitement.

"Not so fast, comm seems to be down. I can't get a signal from the ship or Sean. We won't be going anywhere until I get this fixed," Forge said.

"So what happened to Kid? How'd you get away from Zekk and end up working at this Inn?" Munoz asked.

Munoz and the man called Forge listened as Mystique sat near the window watching the outside as Suzy told them her tale. After the ship had left her weird powers turned off and the Bounty Hunters captured her. She had tried over and over but couldn't figure out how to do what she had done. Reluctantly they had drug her back into the city.

She didn't know what was going to happen to her but the thought of Munoz getting away gave a small amount of hope. As they drug her through the city and brought her towards the fortress Kid had jumped out of hiding. He had managed to escape and had come back to look for her and Munoz. When he saw her being dragged by Zekk and his collective he reacted instantly.

She saw his eyes fill with a weird energy as the Hunters began to spark a little. Suddenly electricity filled the air as Hunters were grabbed and forced backwards away from her. Kid grabbed her hand and they ran. They made it to a cliff outside the city when the Hunters had caught up to them. There was no where for them to run. The hunters fired off their weapons at them.

Kid used his weird powers again this time grabbing hold of the energy coming at them from the Hunter's weapons making them grow larger and head right at them. Suzy was about to scream when he made the energy hit them, causing a large explosion. At the last moment he had pushed her off the ledge where she landed on secondary ledge a little farther down.

She backed against the ledge as she heard them speaking above. Kid had somehow made them believe she had died inthe explosion as they captured and took him away. She stayed in hiding for a few days trying to find a way to help Kid. She soon discovered that he had been taken off planet back to the planet of Nnamuab to face charges for killing the crime boss's son.

Suzy then made her way back to town and got a job at the Inn and stayed low waiting for the opportunity to find a way off this planet and to Nnamuab to find Kid and the others. She had to be careful and stay low, especially with the talk of war with the Grebs and spies being hunted down. She had all but lost hope when she had seen Munoz come walking into her Inn.

"As epic as your story may be, I think something far more interesting is going on outside," Mystique said as Forge and the others ran to the window.

"What's going on?" Forge asked as he watched citizens running around screaming.

"I don't know," Suzy began to say when a loud knock came from her door.

"Suzy, you must hurry. We have to close up and barricade the Inn," the innkeeper said as Suzy opened the door.

"What's wrong, Gortor?" Suzy asked.

"A whole battalion of Greb ships have surrounded the planet. All the kings have initiated the planet force field but the Grebs forces are starting to break through. They are saying in a matter of moments we will be facing a planet wide invasion," Gortor said.

"That would explain why our comms aren't working," Forge said walking up to them.

"Word has it that there are spies among us already. Not too long ago two Greb spies were found and taken to the fortress," Gortor said.

"How do you know they were spies?" Suzy asked.

"They looked odd and they had weird powers. One caused powerful blasts just from opening his mouth while the other, a woman, shot blasts of light from her fingers. We have to move before it's too late," the innkeeper said as he took off running knocking on each room door.

"Those aren't spies. Looks like Sean and Allison have gotten themselves captured," Forge said swearing under his breath.

"Well, good riddance to bad rubbish. I say we blow this joint and find a way off this planet," Mystique said.

"Wrong," Forge said getting in Raven's face, "we all leave together. We'll rescue them and you're going to help whether you like it or not."

Raven kicked Forge back and pinned him to the ground making herself look like Forge. "You better back off, lover. I could easily kill you and command your ship back home," Mystique said with a sneer.

Forge hit a device on his belt and Mystique dropped to the ground in pain shifting back to her own form. Forge walked up to her as Munoz and Suzy stared not knowing what to make of their confrontation. Forge kneeled down and looked right into Raven's face and smiled.

"Just so you know, lover, I always have protection. While you were out cold on the ship I implanted a failsafe. You even think about killing me or anyone on my team its zap city," Forge smiled as he waved the devise and then slipped it out of sight heading back to the others.

"We have to go," Munoz said.

"I agree. Suzy, can you lead us to the fortress? We need to get our friends and then find a way back to our ship," Forge said.

"Yes, I know of a secret underground passageway," Suzy said as Forge and Munoz followed after her.

"So you know, I'm only helping you because I've nothing better to do," Mystique shouted after them as she ran to join them plotting Forge's death. She was getting just a little tired of the X-Men putting their collars around her all the time.

The four mutants pushed past the crazy citizens and made it within view of the fortress. A loud crackle went off and they looked up to the sky. The force field had shimmered off and small black dots could be seen growing larger. The Greb forces had broken through and they were heading for them. Forge shouted for them to find cover as weapons fire from the ships opened upon the whole city.

_**Hidden Underground Base**_

A large built man stood in the middle of a large room surrounded by mutations. He searched his mind for his old life; a man named Frank Bohannon the Crimson Commando. A man who tried so hard to always out move his opponent only to end up losing. Those memories began to fade quickly has he calculated his opponents moves and instantly came up with a battle plan.

He wore blue armor with a "W" upon his chest. The armor was as a part of his body as were his cybernetic enhancements. He was truly a cyborg granted with greater power than he once had. Only the left side of his face remained flesh, a deep blue to off set his left yellow glowing eye. His hands shifted and transformed into guns as his body and armor shifted creating lasers and launchers out his back and over his shoulders.

He leapt into the air as the mutations attacked. He took them out fast and quick as he calculated their every move. In a matter of minutes the battle had been won. He had proved victorious. As his weapons shifted back into his body he looked over the smoking battlefield. The memories of his old life were gone as he embraced his new mission. War has come and he was its commander.

_**The Brotherhood – Unknown Planet**_

"What are those things?" Lifeguard asked as the five glowing creatures headed right for them.

"Doesn't matter. They're road kill after what they did to Toad. I can't find a single trace of him anywhere," Sabretooth said as he searched the area that had once been a tree with a Toad in it.

"Brotherhood, take them out fast and avoid those laser beams," Magneto said as he lifted himself up in the air to meet their attackers.

"We're not Brotherhood," Colossus snapped.

"At this point it doesn't matter does it? What matters is taking those things out," Juggernaut said as he ripped out a tree and hurled it at the glowing creatures.

A beam erupted from the chest of one of the creatures and hit the tree causing it to vanish into dust. Storm took to the air and got a closer look at their attackers. They appeared to be in some kind of gold armor. They looked like golden versions of Silver Surfer. Storm called forth her powers and giant lightening came down striking at the five creatures and the ground all around the mutants.

Lightning struck two of the creatures and Lifeguard. Lifeguard, whose body had bio-morphed to repel the electricity got back to her feet as the two golden creatures hit the ground smoking. Creed was on top of them and found the armor was easy to rip off with his claws. Inside were little tiny green creatures with small yellow stones in their foreheads.

"Magneto, looks like their just tuna in a can," Creed said squashing the two creatures.

"That's all I needed to know," Erik said as he called upon his powers and ripped the armor completely off the remaining three golden creatures.

Storm called forth her powers and was able to catch the three small green creatures in a gust of wind allowing them to fall to the ground safely. The creatures started rambling stuff in their language and then the yellow stone in their heads dimmed, as did their lives. The mutants approached them as Mammomax spoke.

"Seems without their suits they can't survive in this atmosphere and I'm the only one that can understand them," Mammomax said.

"What did they say?" Ororo asked.

"They said that this is their world and by us coming here we've polluted it with our soul energy," the elephant-like mutant said.

"They must be referring to our mutant powers," Storm said to Erik.

"They said one other thing before they died. The hive will send more after us and they'll not rest till they have us. The queen will either kills us or encase us like she did the others," Mammomax said.

"Others? You think they're referring to the rest of the X-men?" Colossus asked.

"Do you think? I hope they're okay," Lifeguard said.

"We can only pray to the goddess," Storm said as she tried to stay tough as once again thoughts of her fellow teammates tugged at her heart and mind.

"These creatures have a distinct odor. I can easily track them back from where they came from," Creed said clawing the creatures as he sniffed them and then the air.

"Whether they hold our fellow teammates or not, they have declared war by attacking and killing one of our own. Lead on Sabretooth, the Brotherhood is taking the war back to them," Magneto declared as he lifted up and flew after Sabretooth with Juggernaut, carrying Mammomax and the others following right behind him.

**Next: Issue #8 – War of the Worlds – Part Three**


	9. War of the Worlds Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #8– War of the Worlds – Part Three**

**_X-Men – In Space above the World at War_**

"Avalanche, you need to calm down before you rip this ship apart," Polaris said.

"Somebody better talk fast. I want to know why I happen to wake up in my shorts in the midst of the X-men and where the rest of the Brotherhood are," Avalanche demanded.

"We don't know exactly where the other Brotherhood members are, let alone the X-Men, but we few are all there is at the moment," Polaris began as she and Sage quickly filled Avalanche in on what has happened since the battle with Apocalypse.

"Yeah, and Mystique is down there and they want to leave her," Fred Dukes the Blob chimed in.

"You idiot. We're not leaving anyone down there. We have to get past these invaders first and then find a way to rescue the team below," Polaris said.

"I say we take this ship and find our own way home," Avalanche nodded to Blob.

"Dominic, if you do that you're," Sage began but was then interrupted by the ship shaking followed by a large boom.

"What's going on?" Blob asked looking around.

"One of those ships has connected their ship with ours with some strange airlock. I beleive we're being boarded," Sage said looking out the window.

"What now?" Avalanche asked.

"You three need to get rid of those invaders and free the ship while I get our systems back on," Sage said.

"I don't take orders from no one, especially you," Avalanche began to argue when two figures stepped into the doorway.

"Down!" Sage yelled as the aliens opened fire.

A blast came right at Avalanche. For a split second he thought he was done for until a huge weight pushed him aside. The blast missed him by an inch. He looked up to find Sage sitting on top of him. The X-man had just saved his life.

"Thanks, darlin'," Dominic smiled as he moved his hand up.

"Don't think I won't kill you," Sage said slapping his hand a side and jumping to her feet to see Polaris using her powers to send the aliens out and sealing the doorway.

"Good job, Polaris. Now take care of our invaders while I get the ship back online," Sage said jumping to the console.

"We don't have to listen to you," Blob started to argue.

"Fred, shut up. They're right. The only way we're going to get home is to work together," Avalanche said smiling at Sage and then winking, "closely."

Polaris opened the doorway with her powers and then sent a magnetic wave out sending the aliens back. Once outside the doors sealed shut. In a matter of minutes the three managed to push the invaders back to their forced entryway onto the X-men's ship.

"We need to get our ship free fast," Polaris said.

"I've an idea," Avalanche said as he quickly recited his plan.

Polaris hesitated but her gut told her to trust him. It was a good plan. Blob planted his feet and grabbed hold of both Polaris and Avalanche. Polaris used her powers to grab hold and push all the invaders back into the airlock. At that moment Avalanche called forth his powers and caused the airlock to rip from the ship and fall backwards.

Blob held tight as space tried to suck them all into it. Polaris then used her powers to patch up the hole. Sweat poured form her face as she pushed to hold the ship together with her powers. She was afraid to let go for the hole wasn't securely sealed. She feared she might not be strong enough to hold on. Suddenly power kicked on and they heard Sage's voice.

"Ships up and running. Polaris, you can let go. I've placed a shield around the hole and the ship's self-repair should have it welded in no time. Everyone get suited up its time we get out of here and then go on the offensive," Sage said as the ship came to life.

**_X-Men – Planet Side_**

Chaos roamed everywhere as Suzy tried to lead her friend and his two new friends to the underground passageway into the castle. The invading Greb ships flew high blowing up everything in their path. Suzy wasn't a native to the planet but she had been working among them long enough to feel a sense of sadness for them. The powerful attacks from the Greb ships where keeping them on the defensive. She wished she could do more.

"Watch out!" Screamed a voice causing them all to look up.

A cannon had blown the thruster on a Greb ship and it was heading right for the four of them. Suzy knew there was no way they could stop it or get out of the way before it would crash upon them. She held up her arms and screamed in fear. Suzy suddenly felt strange and she noticed Forge and the others stare at her as an unseen power could be felt cracking from her hands.

The ship seemed to be slowing down and then completely froze in place a foot above them. Suzy gasped in shock, her powers had saved her again. She was excited but she was also beginning to feel tired. She turned as Munoz, Forge and Mystique got to her side.

"How did you do that?" Munoz asked.

"I don't know. I haven't been able to do that since the day I saved you," Suzy said.

"It appears your powers can effect time and kick in under great stress," Forge said as they all noticed nothing was moving within a certain radius of Suzy while outside the radius things moved but at a slightly slower pace.

"How long will this last?" Munoz asked.

"I don't know," Suzy replied feeling a strain on her person.

"Then I suggest we move and get out from under this crashing ship," Mystique said as Forge nodded.

They took off at a dead run and felt the wave of the explosion from the ship behind them as time resumed. There was laser fire all around them but they were almost to their destination. After a few minutes they made it to a series of boulders hidden by a grove of trees not far from the castle boarder.

"Under the rocks you'll find the passageway into the castle," Suzy said.

"How can we trust she's not leading us into a trap. I mean, how is it you know of this passageway?" Mystique glared at the girl.

"When you work at an Inn, you over hear things. Even the King's men talk when they have enough to drink," Suzy said.

"How dare you attack my friend," Munoz glared at the blue skinned woman.

"Calm down, Munoz. If you trust her, I trust her," Forge said as he knelt down to look at the rocks.

Forge, Munoz and Suzy pushed upon the largest of the boulders while Mystique watched and ignored Forge's comments towards her. After a few minutes they were able to slide it over uncovering a small whole with a ladder leading straight down. Forge made Mystique go first and then followed after the two younger mutants. As they neared the bottom of the ladder they noticed Munoz's skin giving off a faint glow and Munoz commented how he could clearly see in the dark.

"That confirms my theory. You're mutant power causes your body to evolve and adapt to survive your surroundings," Forge said.

"That would explain how I survived out in space for so long before you found me," Munoz said.

"I would love to continue this bonding moment but can we move along?" Mystique asked as her feet finally touched solid ground.

Due to Munoz's powers, Forge had him and Suzy lead them the rest of the way through the passageway. They soon came to another ladder leading up. They quickly climbed the ladder and pushed open the hatch. They found themselves in the middle of a stone dungeon. Forge motioned for them to be careful as they began to search the cells.

"I've found them," Forge shouted as they came to a cell with two figures heavily chained to the wall.

Banshee's face was bound with two small holes to allow breathing through his nose. Spark, the X-man once called Dazzler had her hands bound in a black metal. They were chained so they faced near Banshee's head. They may be primitive but they were smart. There was no way Allison could break free without risking Banshee's life.

"Let's get them free so we can find a way off this planet," Munoz said.

"The Inn keeper was right. Seize them," the King shouted as the four mutants suddenly found them selves surrounded by dozens of the King's guards.

"Finally, some action," Mystique said as she took out two guards and took their laser guns and did what she did best, survive.

"You two will have to fight and bide me time to free my friends," Forge said to the two mutants.

They were both a little nervous to engage but going into action almost felt natural to them. Like they had done this kind of thing before. Munoz began to punch out guards as he found that his skin changed to absorb the impact of the lasers. Suzy concentrated but couldn't do what she had done before. She did notice that it seemed like the guards were moving a little slower than normal allowing her to move quicker.

Forge started his magic of creating things and soon had the lock opened on the cell. He ran in and quickly freed Sean. He looked like he had been put through the ringer. He quickly moved to Allison and freed her. Being part machine seemed to help her endure what ever the King had put them through. Forge helped Banshee up as Spark cut loose on the guards.

"Sir, please take me with you," a strange lizard-like humanoid shouted from the cell next to them.

"Why would we do that?" Mystique said as she leaned back against the cell to take a few shots at a few oncoming guards.

"Because I can help you get off this planet. I know where the King keeps his shuttle crafts," the creature hissed.

"You're not going anywhere," the King said as he came up and put a laser directly into Mystique's forehead while the rest of the guards surrounded Forge and Banshee.

_**Brotherhood – Unknown Island**_

"There it is. The place reeks of those things," Sabretooth snarled.

Magneto and Storm came up behind him. In the center of the valley was a large bee-like structure. To the naked eye, no entryways could be seen. Colossus, Lifeguard and Juggernaut carrying Mammomax soon arrived but were silenced by Magneto. Two of those gold suited creatures approached the side of the structure and Magneto could feel a tug in the air as suddenly a door opened and then closed behind the two creatures.

"They enter by using magnetics of some sort," Magneto said.

"Then whip up your powers and let's storm the place," Sabretooth smiled flexing his claws.

"No, wait," Storm said stepping up to Magneto. "Our friends and teammates could be in there. I think we need to sneak in and find them first. If we strike first and they are in there we could end up putting their lives in danger," Storm said.

"Don't listen to her," Mammomax shouted.

"Shut your mouth," Colossus glared.

"Erik, please. Let's do it my way first. Once we know their situation then we can cut loose to free them and put a stop to these creatures," Storm said with a firm yet soft tone.

Erik glared but then softened as his eyes met Ororo's eyes. "We follow her lead, for now."

"But, Magneto," Sabretooth started to say and then was forced to the ground by an invisible force.

"I've made my decision. Cain, put the elephant down. He'll have to wait here. His legs will slow us down and we don't need a translator for them to know our intentions," Magneto said as he followed Storm's lead down towards the building.

The six mutants made it to the side of the structure without detection. The surface was solid and smooth with no signs of entry. Magneto called forth his powers and waved his hands along the side of the building. After a few minutes a hum could be heard and a doorway slid open. They quickly entered as the door closed form behind. They were in a small plain hallway that was lit by glowing wax like globs positioned along the walls.

Creed soon picked up the familiar scent of Toad mixed with other almost familiar scents. He quickly led the way as they all followed. So far there were no signs of the creatures. Soon they came to a large cavern filled with dozens of what looked like empty holding cells. The room also looked like it had been through a recent attack. In the center of the room was a giant disc with a huge pile of destroyed parts all around it.

"That's all that's left of the great portal," a voice said from one of the cells to their right.

"You can understand us?" Storm asked as she approached a yellow-skinned woman with spiky red hair and orange eyes. She was sealed in a weird substance that kept her from moving.

"Yes, but not sure how. A man with no hair touched his fingers to his forehead using his soul-energy and then suddenly I could speak and understand your language," the alien woman said.

"Charles, it had to have been him," Storm said looking at the others.

"Were there any others with him?" Magneto asked.

"Yeah, and what happened to them and this place?" Lifeguard asked looking around.

"I'm sorry they're all gone. I'm all that is left," the woman said.

"My name's Storm. My friends call me Ororo. Tell us what happened to the others," Storm said.

"Yes, you like the rest of us have been blessed with the soul-energy," the woman nodded.

"What are you talking about? Let's ditch the chick and gut this place," Creed snarled.

"Let her finish. My dear, please explain and quickly. My friend here, as am I, grow impatient," Magneto said.

"I can sense soul-energy. I also have the gift. It's better if I start from the beginning," the woman said as Cain and Piotr used their strength to tear her from the walls of her prison.

"My name's N'Lea from the planet Lator. My father is the ruler there and he commands a very pure and prosperous world. No one on our planet has this soul-energy, but in rare instances people have been blessed with it.

"My father views it as a curse of evil and banishes anyone found with it. As I got older, I discovered that I had been blessed with it. I tried to tell my father it was a blessing not a curse. He tried to force me to hide it but I couldn't when others like me were hunted and either killed or banished from the planet.

"I rebelled against my father and gathered all soul-energy beings and lead a rebellion. I got others to rise up and attack demanding equal rights. It didn't take long for my father to declare war against us. In the end, those who hadn't been killed were rounded up and banished, including myself.

"I hated my father, not for turning his back on his own daughter, but for what he was doing to those like me. Our ship was in route when I felt the ground shake. Things went dark and when I finally woke up I discovered our ship had crashed on this planet. Almost everyone had died in the crash except for a handful of us prisoners.

"The next day we were attacked by these creatures and taken here to the Hive. The Queen wanted to kill us at first but she soon discovered a great use for us beings with soul-energy. She can hook us up to a devise and suck the soul-energy from us to power her Hive and other technology they have here. Like the devise the Queen wears that allows her to communicate with all beings.

"She convinces the Hive that if they don't hunt us and do this that the soul-energy will kill their world. The Queen supplies them with their weapons and suits and then they go out to gather their prey and bring them back here to be used like human batteries.

"Most suffer, but she never uses me that way or harms me because one of my gifts is to sense the soul-energy and she makes me find her others. I don't like it, but if I don't do it she would kill my friends. Luckily, others tend to appear on this island with this soul-energy and she uses them instead of my friends.

"Not too long ago the Queen heard of a large crash. She summoned me and I discovered that there were beings with the soul-energy. She had them brought back here. There were three of them. A bald man, a hairy tempered guy and a man with a weird devise across his eyes.

"They were taken right away to the soul-energy draining devise that powers the Hive. The Queen discovered that their soul-energy was very powerful. Soon she was able to finish building her portal and had a way to power it. She said she would now have a means to get off this planet and find a place that they could survive on.

"She brought them out here and hooked them up to the portal that sat in the middle of that large disc. That is when the bald man did his trick and we were able to communicate. We didn't have much time so he just got information from me about the Hive and what I have already told you all.

"We got cut off when she activated the portal. The portal came to life and worked but there was no way of finding out where you would end up. Two could enter it and end up in different locations. There was no guarantee if you entered at the same time that you would still end up in the same place. Another devise would need to be built to solve this problem.

"But, there wasn't enough power to complete this and the Queen was furious until I sensed you people. The Queen knew she could do this with your power so she sent the Hive after you. In moments, one of you was teleported here but he proved to be too hard to capture. He bounced off the walls and his tongue had actually hit a switch releasing the man with the eye devise.

"He then freed the others and in moments all four of them were taking down the Hive and had freed all the prisoners. That is when the Queen attacked and the slaughter began. The Queen set off a device that neutralized all their soul-energy. The only way to survive was to pass through the portal.

"The one with the tongue went through first followed by all the others, including my friends. All that was left was the bald man, the hairy guy and me. The Queen was seconds from detonating a powerful weapon that would kill us all before we could reach the portal. I told them to go as I distracted the Queen. The bald man didn't want to leave me but we knew this was the only way.

"I threw myself at the Queen and fought her from reaching the controls. It gave them just enough time to pass through the Portal before the Queen tossed me aside. Right before the hairy guy went in, strange blades came from his hands and he slashed the top of the portal as he went through. In seconds the portal exploded and was no more.

"The Queen would have killed me but she needed me to help get more soul-energy to start building again. She just locked me up and left when you all arrived," N'Lea said concluding her tale as Cain and Piotr had finally finished setting her free from her prison.

"Lovely tale. Can we go now?" Creed snarled.

"The good news is that Xavier, Wolverine and Cyclops made it out of here alive," Storm sighed hoping the same for the others still missing.

"But the bad news is you all won't," the Queen snarled as the Brotherhood soon found themselves surrounded by the Hive numbering in the hundreds.

**Next: Issue #9 – War of the Worlds – Part Four**

**Author's Note: **Next issue, the fourth horseman, Death will be revealed. This is where you the reader come in. You can help me decide who should be remade into Death. Under the Team Roster page, under "X-Men still missing" pick and either in your review or in a private message send me your vote on the character you think should be the next Death. I will tally those votes and use that to help me create the horseman known as Death.


	10. War of the Worlds Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #9– War of the Worlds – Part Four**

_**Underground Base – The Horsemen**_

"What're you watching?" Pestilence asked stepping up beside Ozymandias.

"The birth of Death," Ozy said looking down below.

In the lab below Apocalypse worked his evil magic. Once again, taking a mutant and remolding them into one of his deadly Horsemen. His machines literally rips the mutant apart and puts them back together bigger, better and more powerful than they once were. In the past, his creations had reverted back, but this time he had shaped them to be completely dedicated to him with no free will to go back.

Ozy can see the machine shut off and the door slide open. The mutant within began to walk out through the smoke. Unlike Toad, who appeared out of nowhere, Neal Shaara the X-Man known as Thunderbird was found by Apocalypse under two steel beams near death. Instead of death claiming him, he would claim Death. All thanks to Apocalypse.

Death stood over six feet tall with blue armor over his body, feet and hands. His face, legs and arms were exposed showing his deep blue skin. Up close you could see that his skin was not flesh but more like solar panels. His glowing yellow eyes and giant red "D" on his chest stuck out against the blue. The above hatch opened letting in sunlight.

His skin began to glow as he absorbed the sun's energy. Two mutant creatures ran by powerful solar blasts left his hand engulfing the creatures. When the blasts cleared, the creatures were a pile of bones from an instant death. Another creature shut the hatch closing out the sun. As that creature died instantly from Death's powers the others laughed at his diminishing powers.

Death didn't need sunlight. His skin flared as it absorbed energy from the machines around him until he glowed bright. In a matter of seconds Death had clamed the remaining mutant creatures in the room. Ozy walked down as Apocalypse signaled Death to stand down.

"The Horsemen are complete," Ozymandias said.

"Not yet. We have three more to make," Apocalypse said with a deep laugh.

_**Space – The X-Men**_

"Okay, let's show hem who's boss," Sage said as she opened fire on the invading Greb ships.

After she had suited her crew in space battle gear and deployed them she was able to get the ship fully back on line. With the ships weaponry backed by her mutant computer mind, she was taking out Greb ships left and right. Not only was she handling her battle but was also monitoring the other three mutants and giving them tactical advice, whether they took it or not.

Polaris, Blob and Avalanche were placed in space suits that acted as armor, flight abilities and worked with mutant powers. This was one of her and Forge's greatest creations before they had all headed off into space and then got separated. The suits gave them great battle power in the depths of space and all three were taking full advantage of them.

Any ship that came within range was ripped apart by Polaris' mutant powers of magnetism. Avalanche had the same success. He would land atop a ship and cal forth his powers. The ship with shake and begin to crack apart beneath is feet. Blob, on the other hand, crashed upon a ship and tore holes in the ships with his weight and bare hands. Between the four of them the Grebs didn't stand a chance.

"Polaris, behind you," boomed Sage's voice.

Polaris turned to see a ship closing in on her. It fired off some laser beams and Polaris moved to dodge them. As quick as she was, she wasn't able to dodge all of them. One hit her in the back and sent her spinning. Even thought the suit's shields held she still felt the pain of the impact.

"Sage, I can't get my bearings. I'm drifting off into space," Polaris panicked.

"Lorna, use your powers. Lock your magnetism around yourself and onto a near by ship. Then use your powers to pull yourself onto it and then you will be able to establish your footing and then pull yourself form ship to ship," Sage said.

Lorna called forth her powers. She soon felt herself being pulled toward another ship. Sage was brilliant. It was working. She held herself onto the ship till another passed by. Then she would use her powers to rip apart the engines and then attach herself to the other ship. She did this till Sage was able to pass by and bring her back aboard.

"You see what I'm seeing, my love?" Avalanche asked as he leapt off another ruined ship.

"Yes, it appears what's left of the Greb fleet is retreating. Everyone get on board and let's see about finding our friends planet side," Sage said as she brought the ship about to pick up two more object from space.

_**Planet Side – The X-Men**_

"If any of you so much as bats an eye, she gets it," the King said as he applied pressure from the gun to Mystiques forehead.

"Everyone, stand down," Forge said as he helped support Banshee's weight.

With the King's command, Forge and banshee found themselves joined in the cell with Spark, Munoz and Suzy. The King never left Mystiques eyes as he commanded the guards to keep all guns pointed at the invaders. Forge knew that Mystique was biding her time and hoped she wouldn't move too soon and endanger the rest of them.

"Your Majesty. We have received word that the Greb fleet has been attacked by others and are retreating," a guard said rushing into the dungeon.

"Must be Sage. Shouldn't be long before she gets us out of here," Banshee sighed with relief as he tapped his com badge.

"Don't even think about it. The castle has basic shields that prevent any foreign communications from getting in or out," the King smiled.

Forge leaned over and whispered to Suzy, "Stop time."

"I don't know if I can," Suzy said as the guards looked at them.

"What are you guys whispering about?" A guard shouted.

"Kill them!" The King shouted.

"Suzy, now! Do it!" Forge shouted as the guards and the King pulled their triggers.

Suzy screamed as she threw up her hands. She felt a pulse of power leave her body and shot outwards. She had closed her eyes and opened them when she didn't hear anything. She looked around and saw her friends and the guards frozen in place with lasers starting to come from their guns. Mystique and the King were frozen in place as a faint orange glow lit between the barrel of the gun and Mystique forehead.

She couldn't believe it. She did it, but was beginning to feel tired. The freeze wouldn't last long. She put her hands on Forge and Banshee and concentrated. She felt a release of power as the two men came to life.

"Great job, Suzy. Now release Munoz, Spark and Mystique before the others come back to life," Forge said.

Suzy touched Munoz and Spark and concentrated. In a flash they began to move. She ran to Mystique and did the same.

"Ouch," Raven said as she moved back rubbing a small burn on her forehead. "He's dead."

"Raven, no. We'll not kill them. Let's move before they do," Sean said confirming Forge's thoughts.

"What about the lizard man?" Spark asked.

"What about him? Leave him," Mystique said grumbling as she picked up a few guns from the ground.

"I almost forgot. Suzy, unfreeze him. We'll need him to get to a ship," Forge said as Suzy touched the lizard man.

"Whatsss going on?" the lizard man asked looking around at the frozen King and his men.

"We're getting out of here. Now can you really lead us to a ship?" Forge asked.

"Yesss, I promissse if you take me with you," the lizard man said.

"If your lying I'll cut out your tongue," Mystique said as she picked the cell lock letting the creature out.

They all got to the door leading out of the dungeon when they heard the sound of blaster fire as the King and his men came alive.

"Have the strength my old friend?" Forge asked Banshee.

Banshee smiled and took in a deep breath. As is mouth opened his mutant powers kicked into action. A sonic wave left his lips and shoots straight at the King and his men hitting them with a loud screeching blast that sent them all flying backwards. Sean then turned and took off running after the others.

"The namesss Ssslyth," the lizard man said as he led them down many tunnel ways.

They soon came to an open sky launch pad with a few small crafts. The few guards in the area where taken out fast by Spark and Mystique. They made it to a ship and between Forge and Spark they gained access and boarded it. Just as they were about to take off the King and his men came running out opening fire.

"Get us out of here, Spark," Forge said as she taped into the ships console and brought it to life.

Soon they where airborne and heading straight up. They soon hit escape velocity and found themselves in space. They moved to find two Greb ships heading their way.

"Thisss ssship isssn't equipped for ssspace battle," Slyth commented.

"Looks like were done for," Mystique noted as they all shouted at Spark to get the ship in gear.

A loud series of explosion rocked the ship. They looked up to see they were in one piece but the two Greb ships were not. They soon saw a large ship pull along side them.

"Go figure. When I finally get a lock on you you're in it deep," Sage's voice came over the comm.

"Sage, are you a sight for sore eyes. We found the mutant," Forge said as Sage dropped the hatch and brought them home.

_**Underground Base – The Horsemen**_

"I still don't understand," Ozy asked as Apocalypse added the finishing touches on his next horseman.

"You see, in order for the Apocalypse to truly happen you have to have the seven horsemen. First there is Famine followed by Pestilence. Then you have War that leads to Death. You see, it doesn't end there. For after Death takes its toll, Fear is born," Apocalypse laughs as the door on his machine opens and his fifth horseman walks out.

At first glance you can tell it is a woman with long blond hair with matching yellow eyes. Then as the lights hit her you see she is more than just a woman. She is wearing a blue armored leotard looking suit. On her chest was a red "F" with a haunting fount. By looking at her face and arms you can see they are made of a diamond substance with a blue tint. Her hands gave birth to ten fingers drawn to a very diamond sharp razor tip.

"What d you fear?" Fear asked as she made eye contact with Ozy.

Reflections and images could be seen within the diamond body. Fear's eyes flared with power as pulled fear from Ozymandias. Ozy began to see images and then screamed. An explosion of dust threw everyone back. Ozy got to his feet and saw he had created a stone picture upon the wall.

"What do you see?" Apocalypse asked.

"A Storm is coming," Ozymandias said shaking with fear for the first time in a long time.

_**Unknown Planet – The Brotherhood**_

The Hive creatures came at them from all directions sending off blasts of power. The blasts bounce off Colossus and Juggernaut as they slam and punch the Hive creatures. Sabretooth slices threw them with craziness as Lifeguard's powers cause her skin to shift to a substance that reflects the blasts. Magneto grabs what metal he can and hurls them at the creatures. Storm calls up what winds she can in this building with no atmosphere to aid her powers.

Their new ally, N'Lea calls forth her soul power. Her skin grows over her hands becoming blades. The skin on her shoulder blades grow forming razor like wings. She leaps in the air and soars using her hand blades to slice trough the creatures. As she lands from her glide, she slices off the wings form her back makes a stand swinging her blades at her long time captors.

"I like your style," Creed says as he runs past her.

"Big deal, my skin changes too," Heather grumbled to herself glaring at the Lator woman.

"You think you can win against me?" The Hive Queen asked.

"She's about to fire off the soul power neutralizer," N'Lea said looking up at the massive Queen.

"Not if I can help it," Storm said causing herself to fly up toward the queen.

"Puny ant," the Queen laughs as she swats Storm sending her crashing through a wall.

"Ororo!" Magneto screams as he lifts the debris from the portal and sends it at the Queen.

The Queens makes a few noises and a swarm of Hive forms a wall in front of her taking the killing blows. The Hive Queen then fires off her gun and it hits the mutants below her. Magneto no longer can lift metal. Sabretooth's wounds no longer heal. Colossus and Lifeguard's skin turn back to normal. The blades fall off N'Lea's hands while Cain laughs.

"I don't have soul energy," Juggernaut laughs as he charges the Queen.

Hive dart at him to protect the Queen but nothing can stop the charging man. The Queen moves her long arms and hits a few buttons near her. The ground in front of her drops causing the Juggernaut fall into a deep pit. The Hive Queen laughs as she looks at the powerless creatures.

"Now you will die," the Queen laughs as she picks up giant guns in each hand and points them at the Brotherhood.

The first wave of blasts causes them all to drop to the ground in pain. The Queen laughs as she hits them all again. Erik knows that a few more blasts and their bodies will give out. He shouts out in anger as another wave hits him and causes him to cringe. The Brotherhood awaits the final blasts but instead feel the ground shake.

"By the goddess, you will not kill my friends," Storm shouts as the walls part making way for her to come through.

The Queen points the guns at her and starts to fire. The pain begins to make Storm grow very angry. Using the pain to give her added strength she calls forth her powers from every inch of her being. Her eyes go pure white as the Hive roof begins to shake. The Queen turns and prepares a final blast at Storm. Storm screams and let's loose.

Lightening strikes as the entire roof of the Hive blows apart and strong hurricane winds rip it the rest of the way off. Storm raises into the air as wind and lightening pour down into the Hive. With the exposed sky, the atmosphere is also allowed into the Hive causing the Hive creatures to go into convulsions and start dropping.

"No, the air will kill us," the Queen says beginning to grow weak, dropping her guns.

"It won't be the air," Storm says as she looks upwards and calls forth her powers.

A giant bolt of lightening comes down and strikes the Hive Queen. The Queen quivers and then drops to the ground smoking. Storm grows weak and releases her powers and drops to the ground. She sways and is about to feint when Erik steps behind her and catches her.

"Homemade bug zapper. Who knew you had it in ya," Sabretooth smirks as he licks his wounds waiting for his powers to kick back in.

"You okay?" Erik asks.

"No, I killed in cold rage," Storm whispered.

"To save lives. You had no choice," Erik said helping her to her feet.

"Did we win?" Cain asks as his arm comes up over the pit and hauls himself up and over the edge.

"What now?" Piotr asks as he looks around the Hive.

"This place has a lot of potential. I think we move the plane and our camp here and rebuild this place. Who knows, maybe we can get another portal up and running," Magneto said as he felt his powers begin to tingle.

_**Epilogue**_

"Pleassse come in. Do you read me?"

"You dare call me after what you owe me? Last I heard you were thrown in prison," a deep voice said over the radio.

"I know, but I can't talk long. Can't risssk getting caught. I'm actually in route to Nnamuab to pay back my debt," the figure says into the radio.

"How did you get the money?" the voice on the radio asks.

"I don't bring money. I bring sssomething more valuable. I'm leading your wanted bounty right back to you," the figure says as the voice on the end of the radio groans with approval.

**Next: Issue #10 – "Reunion"**


	11. Reunion

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #10– Reunion**

_**Space – The X-Men**_

It had been a few days but they finally had Nnamuab in their sights. They knew they were on the right track and hadn't been led astray by their new found friend Slyth. According to the monitor, four mutant signatures were being detected on the surface below. Sage was a little worried, their signatures were faint which meant something was interfering with her readings or they were near death.

"To tell you the truth, I wish the mutants from Earth we are finding were our fellow X-Men and not these strange kids," Polaris said thinking of Havok.

"I know, but maybe once we have them all together they can get their memories back. If we know where they're from and how they got here it could be our answer to getting home," Forge said.

"What about the black box from Munoz's ship?" Polaris asked.

"Getting closer, but still no luck getting it up and running. If I could just retract the data in full we might get our answers we're looking for," Sage said.

"I hope so. I just hope that if we do find our way home we can find and bring our friends back with us," Forge said as the two woman nodded.

Polaris leaned back in her chair as Forge got up and left the bridge. Sage knew it would be a few more hours before they made it near the planet. She checked readings and course and then checked on their other passengers. Slyth was in the room that he had been assigned. He was grateful for them saving him, but he liked to keep to himself. The others really didn't have an opinion about the reptile but she still didn't trust him. That didn't matter; he would be gone once they were planet side.

Speaking of trust she switched to the on ship swimming area. Mystique, Avalanche and Blob were sitting around the pool. Now those three she would love to leave on Nnamuab, but Forge says even their enemies deserve the chance to go home. He's just getting soft on Mystique again. She just couldn't stand them, even if Dominic looked good in his swim trunks. Sage shook her head, space was making her insane. Boy would she be glad to get back home, and soon.

"I say we ditch the X-Men at the next planet and take the ship for ourselves," Fred Dukes the mutant known as Blob said as Sage turned on her inner ear com.

"No, we work together for now. For once, we need them if we want to make it home," Mystique said as she climbed up the diving board.

"Do you hear her, Dom? She's changed. It's that Forge I bet you," Fred said.

Dom was about to respond when Mystique dived off the board. Instead of heading for the water, she flipped and landed behind Blob. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around the man's neck and pulled tight. Anger flared from her eyes.

"Maybe we should kill you and leave you on the next planet. That way we don't have to hear your complaining? Forge has nothing to do with it. They have the skills to help us get home end of subject," Mystique said as she let the man go and headed out of the swimming area.

"What's her deal?" Fred gasped for removing the towel from his neck.

"Fred, you forget. One of those missing X-Men happens to be her daughter and last link to Irene," Dominic said making his way up the diving board.

"Dom, don't tell me you agree with her?" Fred asked.

"I don't know what I think, Fred. A lot has happened since I've been in a coma and then coming out of it. Maybe right now, being near the X-Men isn't so bad," Dom said as he flexed, looked up and then dove into the water.

Sage jumped and switched the monitor screen. She could have sworn the man had looked right at her and winked when he flexed. The man was repulsive, end of story. Sage switched to the onboard danger room. Sean was in there with the two new mutants, Munoz and Suzy. She was surprised how fast they were catching on to their powers, like they've had training before.

It was possible, hard telling without knowing who they were or where they came from. They weren't that much younger then Cyclops and Iceman. Hard to believe Professor X had never recruited them nor have record of them. They were too close and seemed to work like a team to have been hidden under radar. Maybe they had gotten trapped out here in space before Charles had found them. Too much was unknown about them at this point. She watched them and took note.

Sean turned to face Munoz and sent a sonic wave. Munoz paused for a moment and when his ears vanished he ran at the older mutant. It seemed whatever was thrown at him he adapted to and evolved to survive. Sean hit a button and fire engulfed Munoz. Sean waited a few minutes and he walked out naked but his skin had changed texture to be retardant t fire. He was an amazing mutant and potentially a dangerous one. Sean patted him on the back and turned to Suzy.

She was progressing slower than her friend. At the moment she could only trigger her powers to make others mover a little slower and her a little faster. Only when she was in grave danger or really scared or angry could she really slow or stop time. In a pinch, that was something you couldn't rely on. Hopefully in time she would master her powers. Sage watched as Sean charged her.

He was shouting at her to defend herself and she just stood there unable to do anything. He was almost on her when she closed her eyes and cringed. Suddenly Sean stopped, began screaming and then started crying. Sage sat up. What was going on in there? Sage entered the manual shut down and turned on her mic into the room.

"Sean, you okay?" Sage asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Suzy, how did you do that?" Sean said gaining control and wiping his eyes.

"Do what?" Suzy asked.

"Didn't you see it?" Sean asked.

"I didn't see anything. My eyes were closed. Sorry, sir," Suzy said bashfully.

"It's okay. Why don't you and Munoz go clean up? It's almost time for our mission meeting," Sean said as the two new mutants left the room.

"What happened, Sean?" Sage asked.

"Didn't you see it?" Sean asked at the monitor with Sage's face.

"I didn't see anything. All I saw was her cringing and you stopping and screaming. What did you see?" Sage asked.

"Phantom-like visions I think. Just as I neared her I suddenly found myself watching a scene from the past. It wasn't in color. The people and surrounding were phantom-like but the emotion of watching Moira die again hit me hard and it seemed so real like I was there," Sean whispered.

"I show no readings of fluctuations from the danger room so it had to have been her. Must be some sort of aspect of her time power," Sage said.

"Guess we'll really have to watch her and train her to control those powers," Sean said as he waved bye and headed out of the room.

Sage contemplated what she had just seen and heard. If what these two demonstrated so far, she wondered what their other friends could do. Maybe there was a reason they had been shot into outer space? As always, Sage would have to take everything in and analyze it. You could never preplan life but you could always be ready for any scenario thrown at you. Sage got up and flipped a few switches.

"Time for the meeting?" Polaris said getting up.

"Almost," Sage said as she followed Polaris off the bridge.

_**Underground Base – The Horsemen**_

Ozymandias watched as his masters next Horsemen practiced his powers given to him with his makeover. The sixth Horseman was Hate. As Apocalypse said, fear eventually led to all out hatred. The mutant he had found and turned was perfect for Hate. Davis Cameron the mutant known as Slipstream.

His anger fed his position well and his warp-wave powers were perfect to manipulate. The man wore blue armor with a red "H" on his chest. The skin on his face was now blue with yellow glowing eyes. Under his feet was what appeared to be a blue surfboard with sharp spikes all around it. Hate glided up to a few mutations and held out his arms.

His warp-wave energy left his hands and engulfed the creatures. In a matter of moments Hate generated and transported all pure hatred directly into the creature's bodies. Soon they grew very angry and turned on each other ripping each other to shreds. The Horsemen smiled for Hate was a very deadly weapon.

Ozy nodded and headed back to his private area of the base. He was still taken back by what he saw on the wall that he had created. What was this Storm? He knew it was coming but that was it. He was about to get up when a figure on the wall burst into fire and a dark face stared back at him.

"You think you could hide from me? When the time comes, you will assist me. Only then will the Storm set you free rather than destroy you along with your master," the dark figure said and then faded leaving Ozy wondering who he feared more.

_**Space – The X-Men**_

Forge landed the craft with ease and without detection thanks to the cloak. They had decided that Sage would stay behind on their spaceship hovering over the planet. Sean stayed behind to help keep an eye on Blob and Avalanche. Suzy stayed behind since her powers were still unpredictable. Forge took Spark, Mystique, Polaris, Munoz and Slyth. He took Munoz because his powers would protect him and he could identify his friends. Slyth of course would make this his stop.

"Thisss isss where we part waysss. Thank you for the ride," Slyth said.

"Good riddance," Mystique said.

"Thanks for leading us to the ship and to this planet. Take care," Forge said as Slyth wondered off.

"The mutant signature is reading off in that direction," Forge said looking down at his hand held devise.

The five mutants headed off down what appeared to be a road until they reached what appeared to be a rather large city. Beings and hovering cars of all types moved at a fast pace. Forge was glad that they didn't stick out too much. They made their way to a small commercial street. Forge was sure they would make it without trouble until a man-like being grabbed Mystique's butt.

"Hands off," Mystique shouted grabbing the man's arm and throwing him through a shop window.

"Mystique!" Forge shouted but it was too late. What looked like security was heading their way.

"I can take them," Spark said.

"No, we don't need trouble. We have to find the four mutants and get off this planet alive," Polaris said.

"Lorna's right. This way," Forge said leading them down an ally.

They ran until they hit a dead end. Forge looked around and there was no way out but the way they came. He could hear the security forces heading their way. They didn't have much time until they were discovered. Just as Forge was beginning to think they would have to engage in a battle he heard a familiar voice.

"Thisss way," Slyth said poking his head out a hidden door in the building to their right.

"Boy, are we glad to see you," Polaris said as Mystique rolled her eyes.

Forge and the others quickly followed after Slyth and disappeared form the ally. The small tunnel was dark and tight but they eventually came to a large room. The room was barely lit by the torch Slyth held in his hands. Forge looked around and realized that the mutant signatures were coming from somewhere in this building. Forge snapped his attention back when the whole room lit up with light.

"Stay where you are and don't move a muscle," a giant fat pig looking man said from an upper balcony with a dozen of his minions baring arms.

"That's the crime boss whose son Kid accidentally killed," Munoz whispered to Forge.

"Give me the bald one and bring me the other girl from where you have her hiding and I'll let you live," the crime boss said, his words clear as day thanks to the universal translator Forge had made for them all to wear.

"How did?" Forge began to wonder when he noticed Slyth making a run for the exit.

"Slyth!" Polaris shouted after the reptile.

"Never mind him. He did his part by bringing you all to me. Now, where is the girl?" the crime boss shouted.

"We can take him," Mystique said as Spark nodded.

"No, if we're taken prisoner we might be taken to where my friends are being held," Munoz said.

"We'll not give him or the other girl to you," Forge shouted up to the man.

"Take them," the crime boss said as the five mutants were quickly surrounded, bags placed over their heads and taken prisoner.

After what seemed like eternity the bags were removed from their faces. They had all been placed in a glass like cage except for Munoz. He was no where to be found. Forge looked at his devise and was getting a strong reading form a room to his right. Five mutants were in there, Munoz and his friends. The crime boss walked up to the glass.

"I want the girl. They killed my son and I want revenge on all of them. I'd kill them now but I want them all together before I get my revenge," the crime boss said.

"From what I understand it was an accident, plus killing them will not bring your son back," Polaris said.

"You don't understand. They must pay," the crime boss said.

"Well, you'll never find her," Forge said.

"I already know she is on your ship hovering up in space. Unless you want me to have it shot down, radio your team to bring her down," the crime boss smiled.

"Enough of this crap. Polaris, would you?" Forge asked.

Polaris smiled and called forth her powers. She paused as nothing happened. She tried again with the same results and looked at the others who had the same looks on their faces.

"You don't think I made precautions when your scaly friend told me all about you?" the fat man laughed.

"Now what, oh great leader?" Mystique smirked at Forge.

"Leave that to me," Spark said as she turned and faced the window.

Her cybernetic parts on her body flared with electricity as she leapt at the window. Her enhanced strength combined with her cybernetics caused a strong electrical force shattering the glass as she went trough it. The crime boss began shouting as the rest of the mutants leapt out of the room they were being held in. Forge bent down and helped Spark up.

"I'll be fine," she said with small bleeding cuts all over her exposed skin.

"Polaris, Spark, think you can handle these guys while me and Mystique go rescue our young friends?" Forge asked.

"You have to ask?" Polaris asked as she felt her powers again and brought them to life.

Forge and Mystique made their way to the other room as the crime boss's men were taken out by the magnetic force of Polaris or the powerful light power of Spark. Forge pushed his way into the next room and shut the door behind him and Mystique. He turned and saw five figures each in their own cages. He immediately recognized Munoz.

Forge studied the lock and soon built a devise that would unlock it. He soon had Munoz out of his cage and back on his feet. Munoz was glad to see them.

"Are you okay?" Forge asked.

"Yes, but they look worse for wear," Munoz said.

"These your pals?" Mystique asked looking at them.

"Yes," Munoz said with relief and tears at the sight of his long lost friends.

Forge quickly freed the other four mutants as Munoz introduced them to him. The first one was Petra. She had long blond hair and wore what looked like shreds of a green outfit. The second was Océana. She had pink scaly skin with gills on her neck and webbed feet and hands. The third one was Marko. He looked normal except for his spiky white hair and pure white pupil less eyes. The last one looked barely conscious.

Forge and Munoz helped Kid to his feet. He had been beaten senseless. His short dark hair was matted with his own blood. Despite what he had been through, he smiled when he saw his friend Munoz and the others. They were all glad to be together again and even happier when Munoz told them that Suzy was on the X-Men's ship.

"Hate to break up your happy little reunion, but we should get going," Mystique said.

"I can help Kid here. Can the rest of you walk on your own?" Forge asked as the others all nodded.

"Let's go," Forge said as they made their way back out where they had come in.

They were all out of the room except Mystique when she paused at the sound of a voice. She looked to see Slyth in a small cage in the corner. She walked over to the lizard man and bent down. It was hard to hear him through the glass cage he was in.

"You have to help me," Slyth begged.

"Why should I do that traitor?" Mystique glared.

"I only did what I did because he said it would clear my debt to him. Only, he plans on killing me anyway. So you got to help me," Slyth pleaded.

"You're asking the wrong hero," Mystique smiled as she left the room.

"Mystique, find something in there?" Forge asked as she came through the door.

"No, thought I saw a rat," Mystique shrugged as she closed the door and smiled.

They stopped as they saw Polaris and Spark holding their own against the Crime Boss's minions. Forge still knew it would be a chore to get past them all and out of here, especially with a wounded man and three others that could barely walk. Polaris and Spark moved back by them.

"Not sure if we'll make it past them without someone getting shot," Polaris said doing what she could to reflect the laser blasts.

"More men are on their way. You'll never escape," the crime boss laughed.

"Munoz, look out!" Petra shouted as two men opened fire at her friend.

They all stared as Petra's eyes suddenly flared and her hands quivered. The earth below them erupted from the ground and made a solid wall separating them from the crime boss and his men.

"Wow, how did you do that?" Marko asked.

"I don't know. I felt a weird and familiar sensation and I went with it and the wall formed," Petra said staring at her hands and the wall made of earth.

"From what we can tell, you're all mutants like us with special gifts. There'll be time to discover and train these powers later. We need to find a way out of here," Forge said.

"I believe the outside lies on the other side of this wall," Forge said after making changes and rebuilding his detection devise.

"Then allow us," Polaris said as she and Spark stepped in front of the wall using their powers to break it down.

They all quickly made it out and found themselves in the open air. Moving as fast as they could they eventually made it back to their shuttle craft and blasted off. As they approached escape velocity, Forge hailed Sage.

"Welcome back, Forge," Sage smiled after he had told her they had found the mutants and were on their way back with all of them.

"Anything exciting happen while we were away?" Forge asked.

"You won't believe this, but I managed to extract the data from the black box and download it all into the ship's computer. Trust me, you're not going to believe what I've discovered on that thing," Sage said with a tone that sent shivers down Forge's spine.

**Next: Issue #11 – Xavier's Secret – Part One**

**Then read Mutant Generation Force Issue #12 for Xavier's Secret – Part Two**

**A two part crossover that reveals a small fraction of what Xavier is hiding from his fellow mutants that will change them and how they view their trustworthy leader and founder forever. **


	12. Xaviers Secret Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #11– Xavier's Secret – Part One**

_**Space – The X-Men**_

"We're all waiting for you" Sage's voice came in over the comm.

"I'll be there in a minute," Forge said as he sat staring at the screen in his room.

Forge had a lot happen to him recently but this had to be the biggest shocker. After following the great Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men into space they ended up battling Apocalypse along with Magneto and his Brotherhood. That battle led to Magneto's base exploding and Forge and present company finding themselves stranded in unknown space with no idea where they were, how to get home or where their other friends and team members were. It was just him and his odd band of X-Men.

One of the twists was that his new team of X-Men also had members of Magneto's Brotherhood. Through it all he, Polaris, Banshee, Sage and Dazzler, who they had found as part of a bounty hunter collective with no memories and calling herself Spark, had managed to maintain a civil partnership with Mystique, Blob and Avalanche. In their quest to find the others and a way home they came across a strange looking younger man stranded on a planet. To their shock he appeared to be a mutant from Earth.

Munoz, like Dazzler had no memory of anything that had happened to him or who he was before he and his friends had arrived here in space. Taking their ship's black box in hopes of discovering some answers, they set out on a quest to find his other mutant friends. While getting caught in the middle of a world at war they found Suzy and eventually escaped the world and then went to Nnamuab, where they escaped a crime boss and rescuing the rest of Munoz's friends from him.

Having already detected mutant signatures along with evolution-based powers from Munoz and time-based powers from Suzy, they knew the others would have powers too. Petra demonstrated earth-based powers already and Kid had already been the first to display his energy-based powers. Forge wasn't sure what powers Océana or Marko had but by looking at them you could see mutations, one looked fish-like and the other had pure white eyes with no color in them at all. They would all be tested, but after they dealt with the black box.

Once they had gotten back, Sage had been able to retrieve the data from the black box from Munoz's ship. Sage had told him that it contained their mission log but it also had something more. It somehow had contained a link to Xavier's personal computer database and saved an additional file that revealed socking information but also ended leaving more questions about their founder, Charles Xavier.

Sage had Forge watch it first before showing it to anyone else. Forge was shocked, as was Sage who had been part of Xavier's secrets. No too long ago they had discovered that Tessa, of the Hellfire Club had actually been a spy of Xavier's all these years. When Charles had first formed the X-Men, Sage was one of the original recruited the same time as Beast. Instead of introducing her onto the X-Men he had instead asked her to join the Hellfire Club as a spy for him to keep an eye on the Black King, Shaw.

That was nothing; soon they had found out that Xavier had his on Protocol's and mutants working secret Ops on behalf of him and mutant kind. Forge and Mystique had at one time been a part of that, he a supplier of technology and her, a forced operative. This kind of game and secrets had become a norm and necessity for the greater good of mutant kind, but what was on this black box could change everything about Xavier and the X-Men.

Forge had asked Sage if they should reveal this information or destroy it. Forge thought they all might be better off but Sage felt the new mutants deserved to know their past, but they couldn't do that without revealing all. Plus, there was information that would have an impact on their good friend Sean, the Banshee. Forge decided that Sage was right and it was time to let another one of Xavier's secrets out, no matter the consequences. So Sage had gone to assemble the others.

"Here we go," Forge mumbled as he transferred the data to the conference room and went to join the others.

"I still don't know why they get to be in here," Polaris said as Forge walked in.

"We are a part of this team now and have every right to know what is going on," Mystique said.

"I don't know much, but they did risk their lives to help us. We've no issues with them seeing this," Munoz said on behalf of is friends.

"As much as I may agree with you, Lorna, I think they should see this. If we are going to be stuck together for a long time I think that we need to bond as a team, despite our difference," Forge said.

"I second that," Dominic said winking at Sage.

"Plus, we could get some insight from them that we might miss," Sage said rolling her eyes at Avalanche.

"The black box has you six's mission recorded and what happened. We also realized that it had linked with Xavier's computer and we have a file leading up to your mission and connected to the original X-Men and another file that your ship had somehow maintained a link for a time after your mission and downloaded some interesting data before cutting off," Forge said.

"We're going to start from the beginning, work our way through your mission and end with this additional secret file of Xavier's," Sage said.

"Keep in mind, what you're about to see will not only be revealing great relief for you guys but will also be shocking to the rest of us. Computer, play Geneses," Forge said as the computer began playing.

"_Xavier Log: Genesis:_ I've decided that it's time to become proactive with the threat of evil mutants. After what I've already discovered, come across and threats like my old comrade Magnus I know I need to do something. There are other mutants out there and I need to find them first and train them.

"With the help of the research and mutant detecting devise Magnus had helped me design I've located and recruited my first group of students. There are five of them. I originally had seven but one refused and I was unable to persuade her and the other I've decided to put her skills to good use as one of my first spies. For now, these main five are more than enough and most important to have under my wing.

"Scott Summers has great energy based powers but is unable to control them. I've given him special glasses to help in his control. Jean Grey has potentially very powerful mental powers while young Bobby Drake has control over the elements of cold. Both Henry McCoy and Warren Worthington III may be slightly different in power base, one with wings the other beast-like in strength and agility they hold potential and they were on the list.

"I'm still not sure what I'm doing or how to handle everything I've got but I know the bigger picture is gathering these mutants and training them. I know this could be bigger than I can handle so I've got my old friend Moira Kinross…I mean MacTaggert to help me pick up what we first discussed those many years ago before I went off to the war and she went off and got married.

"Until I get things off the ground five is enough to work with and still keep the school's true nature secret from the public. I also don't want to lose the others, so Moira has agreed to take the others in. On Muir Island she has set up a secret lab were she will not only train but monitor and run tests of a different nature on her students. This way we can learn more and keep these kids safe from other interested parties.

"Moira still doesn't seem like she wants to be a part of this, but like me, she feels obligated to do this. So, she'll take guardianship over her six students while their siblings become my X-Men," the computer reported.

"That's where that file ends. It indicates that it links to other logs pertaining to the original X-Men and their missions. The black box doesn't have those files just the one you heard. I believe it's because it is related to the files pertaining to their mission," Sage said.

"Quite boring if you ask me," Fred Dukes yawned remembering how Charles and his X-Men had tried to recruit him many years ago.

"Not really, did he say siblings?" Mystique asked eyeing Forge.

"Are you saying that we're not only a secret team of this Xavier but are also related to your original team of X-Men?" Kid asked.

"Moira never said anything to me about having a group of students herself and that they were related to Xavier's students," Sean said scratching his head.

"Alex never mentioned having another brother. I know there was talk once of a third brother but that was speculation," Polaris said.

"What you're going to hear next will not only answer your questions but shock you too," Forge said.

"Yes, this next file is another of Xavier's logs. It seems Charles mentally followed the students every move and logged it and it was saved into the black box. The black box just recorded the take off and landing of the mission and then the trip here into space. I've set up this sequence to splice the two together to get the whole story," Sage said as she played the next file.

"_Xavier Log: Deadly Genesis: _My biggest fear has come true, my X-Men have been captured and I fear are near death by the island, Krakoa. There's a small chance that they can be saved but there isn't much time. I must send in Moira's secret mutants. From the reports she's given me they have trained well and I believe are ready even though she doesn't. In the end she let's me send them.

"The first is Gabriel Summers codenamed Kid Vulcan. When I found him and Scott at the Orphanage he had not developed his powers yet. I knew the potential was there so I left the younger brother with Moira. Like his older brother, he became a leader of his team and has energy based powers. Seems he can manipulate and tap into energy sources, which include fight, heat, force and electricity.

"The second is Barbara Drake codenamed Petra. My original plan was to give these secret mutants new identities and was going to call her Petra Kristensen but Moira forbid me to mess with people's minds so I gave up the idea. Also, Bobby's parents had decided to let her go to Moira's school for potential mutants. Petra soon developed her powers. Like her brother they were elemental based but she controlled the earth.

"The third is Suzanne Grey codenamed Sway. Now her parents did forbid her to come with me when I came for Jean. At this point I had been at the last stop of recruitment and didn't want to miss out on the potential Suzanne may have if she was anything like her sister. So I erased her from their memories and changed her memories into the persona of Suzanne Chen and installed an image inducer into her body to permanently look a different race. I felt guilty about that but her powers over time proved me correct.

"The fourth is Armondo Munoz codenamed Darwin. When I had recruited Henry, I had read his father's mind. It seems he had a secret affair with a woman named Amelia Munoz. After I left I went and visited the woman and saw Henry's younger brother had mutated. She let me take him and send him to Moira. It seems now that his skin wasn't the only mutation. He seems to have evolving based powers.

"The fifth is Wendy Worthington codenamed Océana. Wendy was just a few years younger than Warren and developed her powers at the same time as I recruited Warren. Since Warren's mutation was easier to hide than his sisters, I sent her to Moira. Her webbed hands and feet, scales and gills allowed her to breathe and survive under water. Moira thinks she might be able to control marine life too.

"The last is Zan Marko codenamed Spirit. Zan is also my half-brother. Before my mother had died she had given birth to Zan. Zan was different and later I found out that he was actually my real brother. While I had powers of the mind he had powers over the soul. It seems he ages slower due to is soul power. So he had been conceived by my mother right before my dad had died, but by the time his soul entered a fetus it was that of my step-dad.

"Genetically he is Marko but soul and mutant power-wise he is Xavier. Due to his pure white eyes and slow aging my step-father had sent him away. I had finally gotten back in touch with him when I formed my X-Men. When he came I was surprised to see he only looked like he was in high school when he was a tad bit older than that. Since he had developed no other powers at this time I sent him to Moira. Now, he can command spirits and some kind of soul power he invokes with a touch.

"With great desperation I gave these Secret X-Men one of my personal jets and sent them to their death. As their jet touched down I reached my mind out to them to follow their moves. I couldn't talk to them or help them in any way. It took all my power to defy Krakoa enough just to be with them watching. As powerful and trained as they were, Krakoa took them out in no time.

"It pained me that there was nothing I could do. The minute they stepped foot off he jet rock like creatures attacked them. They were lucky with the first wave. Kid Vulcan hit them with electrical energy blasts; Sway slowed their movements, while Petra pushed them back into the ground. They had soon made it to a clearing where Sway pulled up a phantom vision of the past to see what happened and where the X-Men had been taken.

"They soon found Cyclops, which made me happy to sense him again. They got him free from his tree prison and used Sway's powers to find the path to the others. They soon came upon the X-Men's jet and Petra rose up barriers to protect them for the time being. To their surprise, the island was starting to drain their powers. They feared they would be powerless like Cyclops and debated about getting him off the island and returning for the others.

"According to Scott and Sway they knew the others were not too far and they made Scott stay behind with the jet and fly it above the island to radio me while the Secret Mutants quickly moved to get the others before their powers drained completely. That proved to be fatal for the Krakoa had learned and was waiting for them. It lashed out with great anger and took them out fast in a giant earth-like monster form.

"Sway tried to slow the creature but one swat tore her chest open as it did to Océana with its other claw. I felt the pain as the two mutants had gone down. Kid Vulcan and Petra pushed their powers to try and tear the creature apart. Krakoa had been hurt and mustered all its energy and sent a fiery incinerating blast at them all. I still can hear their screams in my mind as they died.

"Scott made it back and is devastated. He is not coping with the fact he watched a group of fellow students die along with his brother. This kind of travesty could ruin my school and what I could do with it to help mutant and human kind, so I did something I never thought I would do. I used my powers to alter Scott's memories so he would never remember what happened at the island.

"I made it so Scott would believe he escaped the island and had just gotten here needing help to save his friends. As for the Secret Mutants and his brother Gabriel, I erased them from his mind. He would never know they existed or that he had a brother who died saving him. I didn't stop there, by the time I was finished Moira and I were the only ones who would ever know these six had existed. They died and I made them cease to have ever existed. No one, even their families would ever recall that they had been born.

"Moira is furious with me. I should erase her memories, but as always she is the one person I can't being myself to do that too, plus I still need her. I have to send in another team and demanded Moira give me the names of the others she had discovered from the list. It took some debating but she finally caved in knowing that we could still save the others and not let her kids have died in vain. With this list, I will now quickly recruit a second wave of X-Men," the computer reported.

"I can't believe this Charles did that. I know he thought us dead but to erase our lives like we have no meaning. It horrifies me," Kid Vulcan said gritting his teeth.

"As much as I've always respected Charles, I'm not sure I can stomach the man after that," Polaris said.

"I know, to think what he put Moira through. No wonder she held such hidden anger for the man," Sean said.

"We're not done yet folks," Sage said.

"Yes, what you're about to see was pulled from the jet's recording. It shows how you all survived and ended up here," Forge said as he instructed the computer to continue playing.

"_Darwin Log: Ship's recording: _I've made it back to the jet with the others. It's a miracle we all survived and I still can't believe we did it. Just as the islands breath went to kill us my powers shifted to protect me from the blast. Kid tried to warp the energy but it was Petra opening the ground below us that saved us. As we hit the ground below Petra sealed the opening up top.

"Everyone was badly injured and all near death. They all would have died if it were not for Spirit. He used his powers to command their spirits to remain in their bodies. This would keep them alive for now till we found a way out of here. Knowing how badly our injuries were Sway stopped time for everyone causing their bodies not to fade but it also masked us from the island itself making it think it had killed us.

"I don't know how long I'd been passed out but thanks to my powers I was soon able to move freely and became strong enough to tie roots around my friends and drag them back to the ship. I don't know how much time had passed but soon I managed to get us all back to our ship. I've placed them all into the med tubs in the back of the jet and hope they are enough to heal their wounds enough till I get us home.

"_Darwin Log: Ship's recording: _I'm back after power being cut off. Something's happening to the island, it appears as if the island is being blasted off into space. The ship is badly damaged but I've managed to get off the island and trying to pulls us free from its pull and head back into Earth's atmosphere. We've not gotten this far only to die again.

"Something seems to be happening. The island has exploded and created some kind of wormhole. I'm trying to keep clear but the strain is tearing the ship apart. I fear I may end up failing my friends. I can't break free! The wormhole is pulling us in!!" The computer reported.

"That's were the transmission ends," Sage said.

"That must have been the point where we got sucked in and ended up in this area of space waking up with no memories," Petra said.

"I'm kind of glad to finally know who I am and where I came from, even if it was my brother who did those things," Spirit said hating a man he wished he remembered.

"Guess everyone has a dark side," Dominic laughed.

"It appears so. Seems Frost wasn't the first person to kill her students. Only difference is, she didn't try to cover it up," Mystique smirked at Forge.

"For once, I'm finding hard to defend the man," Forge whispered looking away from Raven.

"It's almost like watching a movie. I can't believe all that had happened to us," Sway said.

"So did those X-Men ever get rescued or did they die with the island?" Océana asked.

"Yes, they survived and I was part of the rescue team," Sean said.

"The last of the data we have talks about that mission and you're recruitment," Sage said.

"No point in seeing that, we all pretty much know how that turned out," Polaris said.

"Actually, you might want to see this, especially you Sean. There's a little more to you're recruitment then you realize," Forge said.

"I think everyone should finish seeing this," Sage said.

"I agree, plus I'm interested in what this list is that Xavier seems to be referring to," Mystique said bringing up a point they hadn't paid attention to.

"Computer, play Second Genesis," Forge commanded.

_**Epilogue**_

_**Unknown Hidden Base – The Horsemen**_

Ozymandias paced back and forth. He wasn't sure he could go through with what he was asked to do. For as long has he has served and prayed for release from Apocalypse, the thought of freedom did scare him. The Horsemen of Apocalypse were all but one away from being complete. His master was working on the final horseman now. He was totally distracted.

This would be the time to act. He was torn on what to do. If he refused to do it, he would face _His_ wraith but if he did do it he would face Apocalypse's wraith. Either way, he could lose even though each master had guaranteed him great power. Only difference, the other promised him freedom. Could he betray his long time master? He always preached survival of the fittest. This would be an ultimate test and honorable battle for Apocalypse.

"I'll do it," Ozymandias said as he grabbed the devises he had been given and went to plant them in the base and in specific areas outside. Hopefully he wouldn't get burned like the others in the coming Storm.

**First: Read Mutant Generation Force Issue #12 for Xavier's Secret – Part Two**

**Next: Be back here for issue #12 – "Choices"**

**NOTE: The Storm is Coming. See my profile for more details.**


	13. Unknown

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #12 – "Unknown"**

_**Space – The X-Men**_

"How are you doing?" Polaris asked as she walked into the ship's monitoring room.

"I'm doing well. Still can't get over what Xavier did. I mean, it didn't change anything for me but it bothers me that my daughter has a part of her life along with friends missing from her memories," Sean said.

"I know what you mean. The fact that so many of you had siblings or relatives that you never knew about," Lorna said.

"I know many of us find out later in life that we have relatives we didn't know about, like you finding out that Magneto was your father, but to have relatives you didn't know about that were killed or missing and a man you trusted as a mentor and leader erase them from your memories," Sean growled.

"I can't imagine what Scott or Alex is going to do when they find out that they had another brother and Xavier not only sent him to his death but erased him," Lorna said.

"Well, at least their alive and we found them, now we just have to find the rest of our missing X-Men," Sean said.

"I know, I've been trying to not think about it but after finding Gabriel, I can't stop thinking about Alex. I miss him so much. I just hope he's still alive," Lorna began to cry.

"He's still alive and they're all out there somewhere in the great unknown, but we'll do what we can to find them. I promise," Sean said taking Lorna into his arms and giving her his shoulder.

"I wonder what we do when we find Charles. I mean he could wipe our memories again or worse to cover up his mess," Lorna said pulling back.

"I don't think her would do that, but then again It seems I don't know Charles or Moria as well as I thought I did," Sean said.

"Well, I think that's the least of our worries," Sage said stepping into the room.

"What are you talking about?" Lorna sad moving away from Sean and looking at the odd woman with a mind like a computer.

"I'm talking about our new found mutants and the Brotherhood," Sage said sitting on the edge of the consol.

"Is there a problem? They seem like they are getting along fine," Sean said.

"Yeah, maybe too fine. It seems since our new friends don't know anything about Mystique and with the mutual anger and hatred they all share for Xavier for what he did to them they appear to be bonding," Sage said.

"And you're afraid she may have the wrong kind of influence on the. Especially Gabriel who seems to be harboring the most anger," Lorna said.

"Have you mentioned this to Forge," Sean asked as he nodded at the screen showing Forge and the new mutants in a training session.

"Kind of hard when it seems Mystique already has him snared in her little web," Sage said as they both looked at the monitor to see Mystique move past Forge, who suddenly smiled.

"What should we do?" Lorna said.

"Nothing, they have just come to terms with who they really are and getting used to their new old identities. Even Suzy has allowed Forge to remove the image inducer and has chosen to use her last name of Grey. We can't push them into thinking what we want them to think," Sean said as he noticed how much Suzy looked like Jean with red hair. If it weren't for her short hair and blue eyes, she'd be the spitting image.

"I agree so I came up with a better idea," Sage said.

"What's that?" Lorna asked.

"I've set it up for them to sit down later and read up on their siblings and all of the X-Men profiles including Mystique and her Brotherhood," Sage smiled.

"After that, we let them make up their own minds and deal with it then," Sean nodding with his approval.

"What about Forge and Mystique?" Lorna asked.

"Until we figure out where we go now and how to get home, we just keep our eye out for the unknown," Sage said as they all watched the training session on the computer monitor.

_**Unknown Lab – The Horsemen**_

Apocalypse looked around. He couldn't find Ozymandias, which was no cause for alarm but he had yet to miss the birth of a Horseman. He knew that the last Horseman was the most important of them all. His seventh and final Horseman would be the final key to his master plan. He shrugged and decided to continue on without his old lackey.

He looked at the chamber and pressed the button to release the man from inside. He had taken great pleaser with this one. This man had been the reason he, Apocalypse was back and alive. When he had found him near death upon the lab floor he knew he would reward him with the greatest gift, the power of the seventh Horseman. Apocalypse smiled as the man stepped out and stared at his master.

The man had blue skin, yellow eyes and blue armor like his other fellow Horsemen. A giant red "O" sat in the middle of his chest armor. His long, black wavy hair flowed with beauty from his head. The blue skin on his face and hands looked as if you were staring right into the bright, empty void of space. His presence maid you quiver with lust, awe and pure terror all in one sweeping emotion. Apocalypse stepped towards the man once known as Exodus.

"Welcome, my Horseman. I can't wait to introduce the world to Oblivion," Apocalypse roared with laughter.

_**Unknown Island – The Brotherhood**_

"I think we've done a remarkable job fixing this place up and making it habitable," Ororo said as she moved near the man known as Magneto.

"I agree, Ororo. I feel more at ease having us stay in here. Much is unknown about this place we landed on and I think we'll be able to better defend ourselves against whatever else decides to attack us," Erik said.

"Do you think we'll find a way off this place?" Ororo, the mutant known as Storm asked as she glanced at the remains of the ship they had found and brought into their new hideout.

"I hope so. With any luck we can get the ship or that transporter thing fixed and working. The main thing is we can't bet on that. We must prepare ourselves to make this our home and defend it till our time to leave arrives," Erik said as he watched the rest of his little Brotherhood work.

"Do you think about the others? If we'll find them or if they're okay?" Storm asked as she glanced at the man who had always gone from enemy to friend in a blink of an eye with the X-Men.

"Dwelling on them will not help us survive," Magneto said.

"Are you always so cold?" Storm asked feeling a chill in the air.

"No, what I meant is, we have to focus on the hear and now and realize if we are to survive or find any hope in getting off this planet and finding the others we need to depend on each other. In this moment, we are all we have or need," Eric said as he turned and found his hand taking Ororo's hand.

"Erik," Storm began to say when she suddenly found herself in Eric's arms with her lips pressed firmly against his.

"I hate this!" Colossus shouted as he slammed his steel fist into the wall denting it.

"What's you're problem?" Juggernaut asked as he walked stared at his old teammate.

"Storm, she should know better than to be hooking up with the enemy," Colossus said.

"I'm sorry, the man is helping protect us and you call him the enemy? Open your eyes to our surroundings, Piotr," Cain said.

"I know, but look at the evil that man has done," Colossus said trying to keep his anger in check.

"The man isn't evil. He has done a lot of good. That last attack on Manhattan ended up being Xorn's brother posing as Magneto. Just because someone does something the X-Men don't agree with doesn't automatically make them the evil ones," Cain said raising his voice.

"Whatever, once evil always evil," Colossus snarled.

"I disagree. I was once one of your mortal enemies and now I fight along side the X-Men," Cain said.

"Yeah, like you are now? Like I said once evil always evil," Colossus said stepping near Cain.

"You're just mad that none of the women ever turn to you," Cain smirked.

"That's it," Colossus said slamming his steel fist into Cain's face sending him flying backwards.

Juggernaut screamed and jumped to his feet. Calling on his power, he charged the steel mutant like a bull. Colossus prepared himself for the blow but could not stop the Juggernaut. Upon impact, Cain hit, lifted and sent Colossus threw the air hitting the wall on the other side of the room.

"It's about time we got some excitement," Sabretooth said he leapt up on a ledge and watched with hunger.

"Is this common among your people?" Wingblade asked as she landed beside Creed. With one swift motion her wings and blades on her hands were severed and tossed aside reverting back to soft dead skin.

"If you only knew," Sabretooth smiled as he glanced at the woman with smooth, yellow skin and beaming, orange eyes.

"Piotr, Cain, stop this," Lifeguard shouted as she glared at the alien woman standing next to Creed.

"You're going to pay for that," Colossus shouted as he got to his feet.

No sooner had Colossus gotten to his feet than the unstoppable force known as Juggernaut came at his with full force. The impact sent Colossus and Juggernaut into and threw the wall. As they found themselves outside, Cain landed a punch that sent Piotr back into the trees. Piotr got up and shook his head. As he saw Cain coming he ripped up a tree and swung it down and at the ground.

The impact went under Cain's feet sending him off balance. Taking the opening, Colossus brought the tree up and hit Cain putting him on his back. Colossus took the tree and raised it to bring down a powerful blow. Piotr gasped as he found a strong wind ripping the tree form his hands. As he tried to turn a powerful force grabbed his steel body and pinned him to the ground. He looked up to see Magneto and Storm floating above him.

"That will be enough," Magneto shouted.

"Piotr, what is wrong with you?" Storm asked.

"Ororo, I'm sorry," Piotr started to say.

"You two will need to get along. Whether you like it or not, we must all work together if we are to find our way home," Storm said to both mutants as lightening flickered in the air.

"Storm is correct. We are now a brotherhood united. We do not turn on each other and we work together. We will not tolerate anything different than that. If you can't do that then do not stand in our way," Magneto said as he released his hold on Piotr and Cain and flew off.

"Storm?" Colossus asked looking up.

"My friend, I know the situation we're in is hard, but we have to make this work for now. Please, Erik is doing a lot of good here. If he can keep Sabretooth and Mammomax in line I would think the rest of us can make nice as well," Storm said as she touched Piotr's cheek and flew off after Magneto.

"I'll try," Piotr said after her and then quietly through gritted teeth, "for now."

"So what happens to us now? What do we do next?" Mammomax asked as he slowly made his way on his freshly healed legs.

"Hard to say. That's why they call it the great unknown," Heather said as she moved past the giant elephant and headed towards her steel-skinned friend.

_**Egypt – The Planet Earth**_

Ozymandias had made his way out and above ground. He knew the Apocalypse had finished that last of his Horsemen. He knew he should be there by his side, committed and loyal, but times have changed. Ozy had been made an offer he wasn't sure he should accept or refuse. On a whim, he took the offer and made his move. Now he would see if he could be free or just placing himself under new management. Only time would tell, but for now he had to get clear.

Dragging behind him he pulled to figures by the collar with each hand. He let them drop and stared down at them. They were the last two mutants found in the wreckage. Apocalypse ended up not using them and was planning on killing them or using them as punching bags for his Horsemen's training. As a last minute whim, Ozy had grabbed them and drug them with him. He didn't know what he would do with them but he felt like it was written in stone that he bring them with him.

"Where are you going so fast?" a voice boomed form behind him.

Ozy turned to see Apocalypse standing at the mouth of the entrance that led into the underground lab that had been quickly covered with the desert sands after is crashed here. He knew that the Horsemen would not be far behind their master. Ozy knew it would be a matter of moments before they launched themselves at him. Unfortunately it would be too late.

"My service to you ends here," Ozy said looking towards his old master.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you would turn on me. Don't worry, I'll make your suffering something to remember," Apocalypse gloated as the sands began to sake.

"Not this time, ancient one. The end has come and this is one Storm you will not survive," Ozy said as a red beam of fire erupted from the desert consuming the lab, Apocalypse and his screams as it hit the sky turning it red.

**Next: Read Demon Storm #1 – Demon Storm – Part One**

**Then be back here for Issue #13 – Demon Storm – Part Nine**


	14. Demon Storm Part Nine

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #13 – Demon Storm – Part Nine**

_**Space – The X-Men**_

"Forge, they're back from the planet," Polaris said walking onto the bridge.

"Great, tell them I'll be right down," Forge said as Polaris nodded and headed back out.

Forge took one last look at the readings on the monitor and then got up. A few hours ago they had picked up a mutant reading. It had led them to a small red planet. The planet supported life but had enough dust in the atmosphere that not only would they have to wear masks but it distorted their readings enough that they couldn't tell if the mutant signatures was one of their comrades or a habitant of the planet. Either way, they had to investigate to know for sure.

This time Forge decided to stay behind and let Sage go down and led the away team. Between her great mind and Spark's tracking abilities he knew they would find their mutant. Out of the group of new X-Men, Kid Vulcan (he's going by plain Vulcan now), Sway and Darwin showed the greatest mastery over their powers so he let them go along. Darwin's evolving powers would come in handy as well as Sway's time powers and Vulcan's energy manipulation.

Forge saw great potential in Vulcan. He was just like his brothers, Scott and Alex. Like his brothers he had great power and was gaining mastery over them. On the plus side, he had Scott's natural ability to lead but on the other hand he had Alex's hot headedness. Overall, thanks to him and some help from Mystique he was balancing out quite well. He wished the others were more like Vulcan can take more to Mystiques training, but after reviewing all the X-Men files the others were shying away from Mystique and the brotherhood.

Forge couldn't blame them, but everyone deserved a chance to prove themselves. Vulcan seamed to see that and had no problem working with Mystique, and like Forge was taking them as allies and comrades for now. Forge did wonder if Vulcan's dwelling anger at Xavier and what he did hasn't made a natural bond between him and Mystique. No matter the reason and how much he was putting faith in the two, he would have to be on his guard if they ever did cross paths with Charles again.

He just hoped they would find one or both of his brothers before they found Charles. That way there might be hope in diminishing his bubbling anger for the man. He just wished Vulcan was more like his other comrades, understanding and able to see things from Charles's point of view and why he did what he did whether they agreed with it or not. In the end, no one, including himself, knew how they would react once face to face with their "greatest" teacher and mentor.

"About time you got down here," Sage said breaking Forge's thoughts as he entered the docking bay.

"Sorry, I take it your trip was a bust?" Forge asked as he noticed no new familiar faces in the group before him.

"Yes and no," Sage said.

"What do you mean?" Polaris asked as she used her powers to move the suits from the away team to the storage lockers.

"I see someone is getting used to the new environment and the re-mastery of her powers," Sean teased as he winked at Lorna.

"Back to the mission at hand, the mutant we found was just a natural habitant of the planet. He generated a type of radio wave. It was of no use so we let it go," Spark said flatly as Forge rolled his eyes.

Forge was glad that they had found Allison, but he missed the fun spirited girl he had once known. Having lost her memories in the trip through the wormhole and immediately being found and brought into the Bounty Hunter Collective had changed her personality. For now, with the resources they had they had removed a lot of the tech, but she still had enhanced abilities and was still slightly emotionless. They had even showed her as much data on her life as they could but that still did no good. Until she got her memories back was willing to embrace her old life, she was determined to remain Spark and they couldn't remove the rest of the tech implants without risking permanent brain damage.

"But we did make a great discovery," Darwin said.

"Yeah we did. Darwin's eyes had changed and he could see better than any of us down there. He spotted something in the sewers," Vulcan said.

"Yes, and Vulcan used his energy to make a force that blew a hole in the ground while I was able to slow time enough that the creature couldn't move very fast allowing Spark to move fast and subdue the creature," Sway said enthusiastically.

"And this is the good news?" Forge asked.

"Yes, as you can see they did quite well as a team," Sage said. "The creature was spying on us. He thought from our appearance we were part of the Others."

"The Others?" Sean asked staring at them and then at Forge and Polaris.

"Yes, it seems they are a group of being that steel and collect technology," Spark said.

"That would explain how primitive and barren the planet is," Forge said.

"It gets better. If the creature can be trusted with its knowledge, the Others is said to be gathering technology in a means to enhance their ability to teleport to and from worlds using gateways," Sage smiled.

"Gateways, does this mean what I think it means?" Polaris asked staring at everyone in the room.

"Yes, between my abilities and Sage's we could have a means to get home," Forge said.

"That would be so cool," Sway said lighting up.

"What about the X-Men still missing?" Polaris asked thinking of Havok as she looked at his brother Vulcan.

"Yeah, we still need to hunt down this Xavier guy," Vulcan snarled.

"I'm not saying we would leave without them, but we need to check this out," Forge said.

"I agree with Forge. We don't have to use it right away, but just having the means to go home when we choose is something we can't pass up," Sage said as Sean nodded with agreement.

"I guess, but do we even know where to look for these Others?" Polaris asked.

"From the coordinates the creature was able to tell us, they reside on a planet not to far from here," Sage said.

"Then let's get moving," Forge said feeling a twinge of excitement about possibly finding a way home.

Sage, Polaris and Sean went to the bridge to take the ship on its new course. Forge led the others as they gathered the rest of the crew to let them know what was going on. Blob and Avalanche were very adamant about jumping straight home. The new X-Men wanted to go home but also felt the urge to find the lost X-Men and their siblings. Mystique, of course, kept silent and didn't say a word. Forge wasn't sure if he was relieved or if that was a bad sign.

"Bridge to Forge, we've arrived," Sage's voice came over the intercom.

Forge and the rest of the crew piled onto the bridge. Before them was a large red planet that looked like it was made of fire. According to the ships scans and reading there were no life forms below but they were getting readings of some sort of technology and power source. On top of that, the readings indicated that the surface temp was lethal to exposed skin and the air was not breathable. With their space suits they could go planet side but the X-Men space ship was the only thing resistant enough to break the atmosphere and land safely.

They knew this could be dangerous but they had to take the whole ship down. If there was a way to get home down there they had to risk it. Plus, with no life signs they could assume the Others weren't home and it would be easier and safer to search the planet. Forge gave the command and everyone took their seats and buckled up. The ship hit the atmosphere and began its decent planet side.

"Forge, the shields and the ship's integrity are not going to hold. We need to do something fast or we're all going to roast and burn up on reentry," Polaris shouted.

"I've reverted ninety percent of all power to the shields and the other ten to life support and environmental control. I still don't think that will hold," Sean said as he began to sweat with the rising temp of the room.

"Sage, we need some quick thinking," Forge said to the mutant with the computer brain as he began to fix and rebuild the power controls to enhance power supply.

"Darwin, it appears from the color of your skin you've evolved so the heat and the energy spikes from the consol will not hurt you. You take control of the ship. Polaris, use our powers to reinforce and hold together the ship. Banshee and Spark, let lose your powers at full force. Vulcan, use your powers tap into and manipulate their energy strengthening the shields and add a power boost. The rest of you, prey," Sage shouted the commands after contemplating for two seconds.

Sway watched in awe. Banshee's scream and Spark's light power, which were being powered by Banshee too, generated with great force from their bodies. Then Vulcan, with Sage's guidance, manipulated that energy and reinforced it into the ships power and shields. It was this moment she realized that this woman with a computer mind as a mutant power could easily prove to be one of the most powerful beings in the world. Because of her and only her, they would survive and make it to the planet below in one piece.

"We've landed," Darwin informed them as a large thud was felt throughout the whole ship.

"Great work team," Forge said as the mutants powered down and sighed with exhaustion.

"Please, we could've made it just fine," Blob mumbled to Avalanche.

"I could've helped. I have more power than any of them do," Avalanche said in agreement with Blob.

"Quiet you two, I need to pay attention to what's going on," Mystique said getting out of her seat and heading near Forge and the others.

"Okay, it seems just over that clearing is a metal door of sorts in the ground. If my readings are correct, the power source we're looking for are coming from an underground base beneath those doors," Sage said looking at the computer monitor.

"It seems it might be a fairly big place down there. Sage, Polaris and Spark will join me to scout ahead while," Forge began to say to his crew.

"Hold up. We have a stake in this too and we want to come along. You said that place is big and the more that go the more ground we can cover," Vulcan interrupted refusing to be left out.

"I agree with the kid. I'm not staying behind while you skip for home. We all go or no one goes," Mystique said stepping next to Vulcan as the other Brotherhood members nodded taking a stance behind the blue skinned woman.

"Now wait a minute," Sage said as Polaris nodded preparing to power up.

"Stop, we won't make it home if we start fighting. If we're a team we go as a team," Forge said looking from Mystique to his fellow X-Men behind him.

"Forge, you can't be serious," Polaris started to protest.

"You heard him, we all go," Mystique grinned.

"Not all. Polaris, you will stay behind with Spirit and watch over the ship," Forge said.

"Blob will stay too," Mystique said.

"But Mystique," Blob started to say.

"Someone needs to make sure our only means of transport isn't taken from us," Mystique commanded.

"Fine," Blob mumbled.

"Okay, with that settled the rest of us will suit up and head out," Forge said as he led his band of X-Men off the bridge.

After a few minutes they were all suited up and were off. Even in their suits they could feel the heat of the planet. They soon made it to the metal doors and Sage was still not picking up any life forms. Forge nodded to Petra and she called forth her powers. The ground shifted pulling apart taking the doors with it leaving a hole in the ground. Sage did a quick scan and signaled for all them to head down the stairs leading deep into the underground base.

"To be safe, I want everyone to keep their helmets on," Forge said through their radios once they reached the bottom of the stairs.

A strange glow lit the room. It was large and empty with only two ways out. The way they had come and a doorway in front of them. Sage scanned and nodded and they all stepped through the doorway and in a dead end. Sage was about to speak when the floor dropped from underneath them and they found themselves falling. Before anyone could react they hit the ground below. Fortunately it was a short drop and no one was injured.

"Everyone okay?" Forge asked as every one nodded or mumbled to themselves. This time they found themselves in a pitch black room.

"I'm getting a reading from this direction. I think our power source is this way," Sage said looking at her scanner.

"Guys, I think the Others are here," Darwin said as his eyes suddenly allowed him to see clearly in the dark.

"What makes you say that? I'm not reading any life signs but ours," Sage said.

"Because," Darwin started to say when the very large room suddenly lit up with a giant red glow.

"I knew I should have stayed behind," Avalanche swore as they all realized they were now surrounded by hundreds of demon-like robots whose eyes exploded with fire as they pounced upon the X-Men.

_**Egypt – The Planet Earth**_

"Where am I?" One of the figures asked causing Ozymandias to look down as the two mutants he had dragged with him to freedom from Apocalypse began to wake.

"You're in Egypt. Count yourself lucky, of those of us that survived the crash you two are the only ones that haven't been mutilated into Apocalypse's slaves," Ozy said helping the two mutants to their feet.

"Lorna and the others, where are they?" Alex Summers, the mutant known as Havok shouted in a panic.

"I do not know. Besides Apocalypse and myself, you two and seven others survived the base explosion in space landing here in Egypt. The laboratory hit here and was covered in sand. My former master found all your bodies and I helped him build the lab down below the sands," Ozy said to Havok.

"You don't mean?" Havok began to ask.

"Yes, your friends have become his new Horsemen, but I have put an end to them," Ozy said looking past him.

"Are you saying you did this?" The time traveler known as Bishop asked as he pointed out to Alex the giant beam of fire, red sky and the fire raining down from above.

"What the hell is going on?" Havok said growing very worried and praying his dear Lorna was okay.

"Yes, by sacrificing Apocalypse and his Horsemen I have paved the way for my new master to come and bring a new order to this world," Ozy said as he began to twitch and feel his body burn.

"I hate to disappoint you, traitor, but I live and you will pay dearly," a voice shouted in pain and anger.

They all turned to see a form rise from under the sand, inches in front of the beam of fire. A man of normal build with just a loin cloth stood in front of them. If it were not for his voice, they would have never known it to be the great and powerful Apocalypse. He had survived the beam of fire but at a cost of his powerful body and armor, burned away leaving his frail and very human body.

"Not so tough now are you?" Bishop laughed.

"Oh, I'm not alone. Horsemen, rise!" Apocalypse shouted as from the sand burst the forms of Famine, Pestilence, War, Death, Fear, Hate, and Oblivion.

"You survived," Ozy said with no emotion.

"Yes, you may have killed all my living mutates and subjects down there but fittest have survived," Apocalypse snarled.

"It doesn't matter for now you face your death at the hands of Ozydemontrex, one of the Horseman of Hell," Ozy shouted and he exploded with pain transforming into a giant demon made of sand and glowing red with fire. Ozydemontrex waved his hands and hundreds of forms rose out of the desert sand taking the shape of demon-like creatures made out of red sand.

"For Semaj, attack!" Ozydemontrex shouted.

"Horsemen, attack!" Apocalypse shouted.

"So whose side are we one?" Bishop asked with a chuckle as he and Havok looked back and forth and the Horsemen of Apocalypse charged form one side and the Horseman of Hell came from the other.

_**Epilogue - Unknown Island – The Brotherhood**_

Storm floated a few feet above the ocean. It felt good to float her alone whipping around her dosing her with air and watery mist form the ocean below. With everything that has happened, sometimes it felt good to get away and think and clear her mind of all worries. How were they going to get home? Would they survive? Did the others survive and where were they? Was she really falling for Erik? If so, did that make him good or her evil? Storm shook her head and pushed all thoughts away and pulled in the wind around her.

"Ororo, you okay?" Colossus shouted up at her.

"What?" Ororo gasped as Colossus's approach had startled her causing her to lose control of her powers.

On this planet, the atmosphere was slightly different which made it more of an effort to keep her powers under control. She lost the control of the wind from being startled and a hurricane like wind grabbed her and sent her flying downward. Colossus jumped up and caught the descending Storm as she tried to retract her powers. They hit the beach hard as Colossus's body protected them both from the impact as Storm was able to force her powers off and outward sending them out to sea appearing as a giant tidal wave.

"Piotr, you gave me a start," Storm said as she got to her feet.

"Sorry about that," Colossus said getting to his feet as well. "What were you doing?"

"I like to come here and clear my mind and relax. The view of the ocean is calming and almost reminds me of being home," Storm said looking out to sea.

"I'm sorry I've been such a pain. It just that I don't trust or like that," Piotr began to say.

"Piotr, we've been friends a long time and I respect your thoughts, but I need you to back off of me and Erik. I can take care of myself and I need to figure this out on my own, okay?" Storm said looking at her old friend.

"Okay, but you know I do what I do because I care," Piotr said as he looked out to sea as the tidal wave vanished from sight as it carried deeper out to sea.

As two old friends went one direction the wave carried on in the other. The tidal wave and wind power behind it vanished just as it reached a very small piece of island in the middle of the ocean. A weird face rose up from the island's sand and began to inhale the sent from the fading wind and water. The face fully erected and glowing eyes looked out in the direction the tidal wave had come from.

"That scent, after all this time," the face growled as the very small island began to take shape.

**Next: Issue #14 – Demon Storm – Part Seventeen – Final battle with Ozydemontrex**

**Check out the following issues as the other Horsemen of Hell make their move:**

**Salem-X #17 & 18 – Demon Storm Part Ten**

**New Exiles #16 & 17 – Demon Storm Part Three & Eleven**

**Power Pack #13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Four & Twelve**

**Wild Pack #13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Five & Thirteen (Final Issue)**

**Alpha Squads #13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Six & Fourteen (Final Issue)**

**Mutant Generation Force #14 & 15 – Demon Storm Part Seven & Fifteen**

**X-Calibur # 13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Eight & Sixteen**

**Sensational X-Men # 13 & 14 – Demon Storm Part Nine & Seventeen**

**Then Read: Demon Storm #2 – Demon Storm – Part Eighteen – The Conclusion **


	15. Demon Storm Part Seventeen

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #14 – Demon Storm – Part Seventeen**

_**Space – The X-Men**_

"Where are you going?" Fred Dukes, the mutant known as Blob asked as the mutant with green hair as she started putting on her space suit.

"I've lost communications with the whole team and according to the ships readings hundreds of robotic life forms just went online," Polaris said staring at the overweight mutant.

"They said to stay here. If there are hundreds of robots attacking them why charge off by yourself? It's safer here, I'm not going down there," Blob said.

"I didn't ask you to go. If they are endangered by robots, I have a special knack for taking care of things like that," Polaris said as she grabbed her helmet.

"Aren't you afraid I might take the ship and run?" Blob smiled.

"Even if I had faith in that fact you could actually figure out how to fly s ship, I've placed safeguards so that only certain people can voice activate the ship to bring it online. So, unless we get them out alive, you're stuck here forever," Polaris smiled as she put on her helmet and exited the ship.

"Wait for me," Polaris heard Blob shout a few minutes later and turned back to see him running after her in a very tight fitting space suit.

Polaris, ignoring the mumbles and complaints of Blob, fainlly made it to the entrance. By the looks of the scene, Petra must have ripped open the doors and they had gone down. Polaris took a deep breath and headed through the entrance and down into the depths below. The room was very dark and the lights from her helmet were not showing any signs of anything or anyone. She saw a door in front of her and before she could head towards it Blob came plummeting down next to her.

"Can't you keep it down? Do you want to give any advantage we have away?" Polaris said glaring at Blob.

"Don't tell me what to do. You aren't the boss of me," Blob began to say and then called out in surprise.

Polaris turned back toward Blob to see he was no longer there. She quickly moved and found a trap door in the floor. If it weren't for her powers she would have fallen through. She used her powers over magnetism to lower herself to the floor below. She quickly looked around and saw she was in what appeared to be a small empty cell. Blob was on the floor next to her out like a light.

"What?" Polaris began to question when two figures moved next to her.

"Shh, don't say a word. Spark zapped him to keep him quiet," Sage whispered as she placed a small device on the sleeve of her suit and then signaled for her to cut her light.

Polaris was surprised to see Sage and couldn't figure out what she was up to. She motioned to her partner, Spark and she moved next to Blob. With quick instructions, Sage removed a panel in the cell wall revealing a large hidden door and motioned for Polaris to help her and Spark drag Blob through it. Once in, Sage replaced the panel and closed the door. After a few minutes, they found themselves in a large room filled with machines and computer equipment.

Off to one side was a devise that looked like a portal of some kind and along the opposite wall was Forge working away on a machine. Sway sat in the middle of the floor in deep concentration as Mystique hovered over Forge taking only a moment to glare their way. Forge looked up and smiled at Polaris and waved.

"I was wondering if you'd come to check up on us," Forge said.

"Well, when we lost communication with you a few minutes ago and detected robotic life signs, I had to come check," Polaris said.

"Minutes? We've been down here for hours," Mystique said glaring at Forge.

"I told you, we are not going after the others until I have this operational," Forge said.

"Wait, hours? I'm confused here. Where are the others?" Polaris said.

"Sway here has been slowing time out side this room. It has been minutes for you and anyone outside this room, but for us in here, we've been in here for hours," Sage said.

"We all came here but were attacked by these demon-like robots. Sway used her powers and we got away and found ourselves in that dungeon. We were quickly found, captured and thrown in cells. Forge, Mystique, Spark, Sway and I were thrown in one cell.

"We found this secret panel that lead to this secure room with a bunch of equipment. We went back and tried to free the others. In the process we found a room with the gateway technology. While the others battled along with Sway's powers, the five of us got what Forge needed to make a portal of his own. He even made these devises to mask us from their scanners while in here.

"The others were all captured, but we decided it was best for Sway to use her powers while Forge worked away. Once we have the portal working, we'll go after the others and we can use it to get out of here," Spark said narrating their story.

"What about the other missing X-Men? Were you going to leave me?" Polaris asked anger growing.

"No, we would have come back. This device here is rigged to be able to track our way back here," Forge said holding up a hand held computer device.

"Sure you would," Polaris muttered to herself as she looked around the room. "How close are you to being done?"

"I'm basically done, just need to test it," Forge said.

"Good enough for me, I'm going after the others," Polaris said heading for the secret door.

"No, not yet," Forge said.

"I don't care. Sway there is ready to pass out from the strain of pushing herself. I'm going now," Polaris said.

"About time, let's do this," Mystique said pulling out her guns.

"Forge, you stay here the rest of us are going," Sage said as she let Sway call off her powers.

Sage knew why Forge needed them to wait, but Polaris was right. It was time to get the others. Sage headed out the passageway after Polaris, Mystique and Spark. They were only four, but with Polaris' powers, they would have a great advantage against the Others. Sage walked out into the cell and covered the door with the panel. She looked around as they walked out of the cell. There were no signs of the Others or their teammates. They would have to find them and soon, before their devices failed and they were detected.

The caverns were dark and damp and their suits couldn't prevent the chilling feeling they got from this place. The four mutant women moved quickly and silently hoping they could find their comrades before the Others found them. After a few minutes they came to another series of cells. Inside they found who they were looking for, the rest of the X-Men. In cells were Avalanche, Vulcan, Petra, Darwin, Océana and Spirit. In the center of the room, strapped to a metal slab was Banshee. Even at first glance, you could tell his legs and arms were broken.

"Oh, Sean," Polaris gasped at the sight of her friend and teammate.

"We need to get them out of here and fast," Sage said signaling Polaris to snap out of it.

Polaris called forth her powers and ripped the doors off the cells. She then concentrated and ripped the chains off each of their hands and feet. Spark and Sage helped each of them out of their cells as Polaris went over to Banshee. She used her powers and ripped the metal bonds freeing him. He began to stir but the shock of the pain he must have gone through had rendered him out cold.

"We wanted to help him, but the bonds they had on us kept us from using our powers," Petra said.

"We better go, I have a feeling this may be a trap," Mystique said as she looked around the room.

"Then you'd be correct," a robotic voice said as robots with flaming red eyes started pouring into the room from the opposite side they had come in.

"X-Men, we need to focus on retreating and getting back to Forge," Sage said.

Polaris called forth her powers and began ripping the robots to pieces. She would have no problem holding them all of if she wasn't completely used to her new mastery of her powers and the fact there were so many pouring through. Sage got Océana and Mystique to help her lift Banshee and head for the doors. Everyone else lent a hand covering their retreat and holding the robots back.

"There's just too many of them," Petra said causing the earth to erupt through the floor and crush the robots.

"We can do it," Vulcan said as he used his powers to send force blasts and electrical blasts of energy at the robots.

"Time to bring the house down," Polaris said as she saw everyone make it out the door.

Polaris leapt through the door and used her powers to bring the ceiling down crushing all the robots and sealing off the room. Polaris was glad to have made it out alive and ran after the others when she heard screams. As she got closer she saw that a wave of robots had come at them from the other direction. She called forth her powers and dove into battle.

"What was that?" Sway asked as she heard a commotion.

"I believe we may be in for some company," Forge said as he pressed a button and the gateway came to life.

"Where are you going?" Blob asked.

"I'm going out to find our friends," Forge said as he left the secret room.

It made it as far as the corridor outside the room of cells when he saw the battle between the robots and his comrades. Powers, robots and dust were flying everywhere and it was hard to make anyone or anything out. He rushed into the battle and called out for everyone to head for the secret room, but wasn't sure if he could be heard. He pulled out a devise he had made and held it up.

"Everyone, move now!" Forge shouted as he pressed the button on the devise.

The devise sent out a powerful EMP blast that caused all the robots to short out and explode. He turned at the sound of Spark screaming. He forgot that she still had tech in her, but before he could move the floor gave out from under him and he fell through. He was relieved to find he hadn't fallen far. He had fell into what seemed like a secret crawl space tunnel. Only one way out and that was to crawl forward. After a few minutes he found a grate above him and he pushed it open and crawled up.

The room he entered was filled with smoke and the commotion of robots could be heard in the distance. As he got up he realized he was in the portal room and it was empty. So he thought when he saw a figure by the control panel. He ran up to it ready to take out the robot when he realized it wasn't a robot.

"Oh, it's you. You can't push that. It will shut down the portal. We have to make sure everyone's gone through before we shut it down," Forge said and then paused in surprise.

The figure turned around and shot him dead in the chest with a gun. As he began to black out he could hear the sound of figures approaching the secret room. He took one last questionable look at the person who shot him as a second blast was fired at the portal consol causing it to explode. Just as the figure vanished through the portal and it closed permanently, he succumbed to the darkness.

_**Egypt – The Planet Earth**_

Havok stood next to Bishop as they looked from side to side. On one side was Ozydemontrex and hundreds of demon-like creatures made out of red sand. On the other side of them was a very weak looking Apocalypse and his seven Horsemen. Not all of the Horsemen were obvious, but the ones he had known as fellow X-Men he could recognize. Rouge, Thunderbird, Slipstream and Emma Frost, he couldn't believe they had been changed.

"What are your thoughts, Bishop?" Havok asked as the two opposing sides attacked.

"I say we let them duke it out while we focus on our fellow X-Men," Bishop answered.

"We may not have a choice who we take out," Havok said as a woman made of blue diamond approached him.

"Emma, I always knew you were no good," Havok said as he sent a blast at his brother's girlfriend.

"I am not Emma, I am Fear," the Horseman said as her eyes flared yellow.

Havok suddenly found himself on an airplane. It was going to crash and his dad and mom were putting him and Alex in a parachute to escape. He was suddenly afraid; he didn't want his parents to leave him. The fear began to overtake him when a flicker caused him to pause. As he battled with the past and the present, he thought he saw other figures on the plane also. He was trying to make out how many when he jerked back to reality and the image was gone.

"Stay out of my head," Havok shouted as he sent Fear flying backwards with a powerful blast while tears ran down his face.

"You will pay for your treachery," Apocalypse said as he tried keep from falling over.

"You don't look like you're in the condition to make threats," Ozydemontrex said as sand demons moved at his former master.

Everyone's ears popped at the sound of a loud boom. A white flash explosion caused the sand demons to scatter into a million pieces. The Horseman of Hell looked over to see a man in purple armor with a huge O on his chest floating above Apocalypse. Ozy sent more sand demons and the Horseman of Apocalypse waved his hands and destroyed them with a serious of white flash explosions. The figure looked at Ozy and raised his hand and pointed.

"You will now know the power of Oblivion," the great Horseman known as Oblivion said.

Ozydemontrex waved his hands and sent a tidal wave of fiery sand at his enemies. Before Oblivion or Apocalypse could react they were hit with a great force that sent them flying backwards. Hate, the Horseman once known as Slipstream and War, the Horseman once known as Crimson Commando came flying at Ozydemontrex. The Horseman of Hell raised his hands and a fiery hand made of sand grabbed Hate and slammed him deep into the sand below while another hand grabbed War.

Ozydemontrex's eyes flared as sand began to pound and embed the Horseman called War. War tried to scream but sand filled his mouth, nose and eyes. As the sand swirled and possessed War, his skin began to dry out and crumble. In a matter of minutes War had turned into sand and then drifted away as Crimson Commando was no more. Ozy smiled as he turned looking for his next victim.

"Charge me up," Bishop shouted as Alex sends a powerful blast into his back.

Now fully charged, Bishop released his energy blasts blowing up sand creatures left and right. Bishop paused as two Horsemen came towards him. One had a flickering tongue which could only be Toad, now called Pestilence the other had all white hair and blue skin. Even with the suction cups on her fingers, Bishop knew the Horseman called Famine was his old teammate Rouge. Bishop hated battling his friends, but in times like this you had no choice if you wanted to survive.

Pestilence leapt up and spikes flew from his body. Bishop dodged them as they struck the sand behind him. Bishop glanced and saw the sand turn a funny color. Bishop took note and sent a blast at Pestilence sending him flying backwards. As he turned, Famine was looking right in his eyes. Before he could react, she placed her suction cupped hands on his face and he began to grow weak as she drained the life from him.

"Rouge!" Havok screamed as he nailed her with a blast that sent her away from Bishop.

"Feel so drained," Bishop said as Havok came to his side before he collapsed onto the ground.

"My Horsemen, finish him," Apocalypse shouted as he knelt upon one knee, still weak from his escape form the fiery beam.

"No, it's time I finish you," Ozydemontrex began to say and then stopped as the great Egypt desert went still.

"IT IS TIME!" A voice boomed from the pits of hell that caused the sand to quake beneath their feet.

"As you wish, master," Ozydemontrex said as a magical wave shot from him that sent all Horsemen and X-Men to their knees.

"I don't like this," Alex said as he tried to get to his feet.

"I offer this soul to you, Semaj. All hail the Storm," Ozydemontrex said as he completed the spell and in a flash of fiery light, Apocalypse was encased in a fiery cocoon and shot off into the sky.

"What did you do to the master?" Oblivion shouted out loud and then froze in place.

"I sent him to New York to be given up as a sacrifice to open the gates for Semaj to come through. Now to finish my job here so I may go welcome my new master of this Earth," Ozydemontrex said as fire burned from his eyes.

"Alex, what ever he did to Apocalypse it seems to have had an effect on his Horsemen," Bishop Said as they looked and saw the remaining six Horsemen standing frozen in place.

"Yes, this time the Horsemen were created differently. The physical changes are real, but this time he mind controlled them. With his death, it freed his servants," Ozydemontrex laughed as he then turned on the remaining Horsemen.

"What happened to me?" Rouge said staring down at her hands.

"Get over it, girl. We can sort it out later," Emma said as she used her diamond sharp fingers to slice through sand demons.

"Are you okay?" Bishop asked staggering over to Rouge.

"One minute, I was battling Apocalypse with the rest of the X-men and Brotherhood the next I'm right here. I barely remember what I did as Famine, but it's like a foggy dream," Rouge said staring at her hands.

"Emma's right, we can figure this out later. We have one enemy down, time to take out the other," Havok said blasting more sand demons.

"I grow tired and must leave to go welcome the Storm. I shall spare any of you that swear allegiance to me," Ozydemontrex said as he looked over the mutants below him.

"You can't mind control the willing servant. I pledged myself to Apocalypse and I will kill you for what you did to him," Oblivion said as he flew, grabbing Rouge and Toad and diving right into the middle of the Horseman of Hell's body.

Everyone stared as Ozydemontrex stopped moving and looked terrified for once. He quickly looked like he was getting sick and discolored while his power and life energy drained fast. Ozy opened his mouth to scream but instead of sound a large white light erupted from his lips. In the next moment, sand, fire and white flash explosions merged and went off all at the same time. All mutants on the ground dove for cover as Ozydemontrex exploded into nothingness. With the death of Ozymandias, the sand demons vanished from sight. Standing in the middle of the raining sand and smoke were three figures.

Havok noticed right away that they had been changed from the power blast. Rouge's skin was back to normal and so were her hands. The only thing was that her hair was still all white. Toad's skin was back to normal and the spikes were gone form his body. Alex did notice that when he flicked his tongue it was an odd blue color. Exodus had turned back to normal, except that his eyes and his hands were pure white. Havok stood ready as he approached them.

"Exodus, is this over or do I have to kick your butt?" Havok said powering up.

"You may address me as Oblivion. I will keep the name my lord gave me and I will take up where he left off. For now, I go to build my following in the name of the Apocalypse. Those you wish to follow me I take my leave now," Oblivion said as his hands and eyes glowed white and he began to float into the air.

"Wait for me," Toad shouted as he leapt into the air and was caught in a glowing white sphere next to Oblivion.

"Well, good luck to the two of you," Bishop said as he turned towards his fellow X-Men.

"I too shall follow," Thunderbird said as he moved towards Oblivion.

"Neal, what are you doing?" Rouge asked.

"He's still being mind controlled," Slipstream said.

"No, he's not," Emma said.

"Neal," Havok began to say.

"For now, this is where I feel my path leads. I am Death now," Neal Shaara said as he joined Oblivion and Toad and flew off with them into the desert horizon.

"We can't let him go," Slipstream said.

"We make our own choices and he has made his. We must get to New York. I am feeling great distress from my students," Emma Frost said as she stood there with her permanent blue diamond skin form.

"I know Ozy said that we were all that was left from the crash, but we need to check for others," Havok said thinking of Polaris.

"He was right. I did a scan and of all the Brotherhood and X-Men, we are the only ones currently on Earth," Emma said through yellow eyes.

"I just want to get back to Xavier's and get out of this ugly armor," Slipstream said.

"We have to find out about the others," Havok said looking at Bishop.

"Alex, let's get to New York and check out this Storm Ozy was talking about. After that, we can check into the missing X-Men," Bishop said finally getting his strength back.

"Okay, let's go. How do you suppose we get there?" Alex said.

"With the help of Rouge, Slipstream and myself of course," Emma said as she and the X-Men prepared for their journey back to New York.

**Next: Issue #15 – Demon Storm Aftermath**

**But first, check out the following issues for the final battles with the other Horsemen of Hell:**

**Salem-X #18 – Demon Storm Part Ten**

**New Exiles #17 – Demon Storm Part Eleven**

**Power Pack #14 – Demon Storm Part Twelve**

**Wild Pack #14 – Demon Storm Part Thirteen (Final Issue)**

**Alpha Squads #14 – Demon Storm Part Fourteen (Final Issue)**

**Mutant Generation Force #15 – Demon Storm Part Fifteen**

**X-Calibur #14 – Demon Storm Part Sixteen**

**Sensational X-Men #14 – Demon Storm Part Seventeen**

**Then Read: Demon Storm #2 – Demon Storm – Part Eighteen – The Conclusion**


	16. Demon Storm Aftermath

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #15 – Demon Storm – Aftermath**

_**Xavier Institute **_

Right where the School used to be there is now a giant brown circle. Thanks to a beam of fire the whole school and an unknown number of occupants had perished. If it weren't for Doctor Strange's spell there would still be a giant hole going straight to the Earth's core. Thanks to Emma Frost, the school won't be lost forever. Already crews are arriving to begin reconstruction. Just as a bulldozer drives by a magical pulse hits the ground a few feet from the brown circle causing four individuals to appear out of thin air. Emma Frost thanks Amanda Sefton for the transport as Amanda waves good-bye and vanishes. **See Mutant Generation Force #16 for more details. **

"Why bring us back here?" Slipstream asked as he and Havok step beside Emma Frost.

"I wanted to see it with my own eyes. Plus, my intuition tells me that our journey starts here," Emma said as she watched the crews get to work.

"It amazes me how fast you got a crew here," Havok said eyeing Frost.

"Once again it is thanks to Xavier and his resources and secrets," Emma said as she looked upon the crew and where her school used to be.

Xavier had told her and Scott that if they ever needed money and repairs to the school that they could contact his personal banker by phone or psychically with a code word that would authorize the release. Xavier also said that if the school was destroyed beyond repair along with the technology inside that a physic just had to call out one word, "Lilandro" and that technology would be replaced. She and Scott gave this information to Dani, Sam and Bobby before they went into space. It was great but this secret of who, how and why Xavier has access to hidden Shi'ar technology bothered Emma.

She had even tried reaching out with her mind to probe but was only met with nothingness, meaning Xavier had some powerful shields in place. Emma sighed. She didn't know what bothered her most; Xavier's secrets that they had just uncovered or the ones they have yet to discover. She would discover them all but first she had to find her lover and the rest of the missing. She was sure that once Xavier was found the rest would be answered. She would not let Xavier make her a fool for giving herself over to the X-Men.

Emma had to admit it though; she really enjoyed running the school and directing the students. She had attempted twice to run a school, the Hellions and Generation-X, to only end badly. When she was given the chance to run the Xavier Institute she knew this would finally work out. She was even proud of her squad, the Hellions and her protégés, the Stepford Cuckoos. Once again tragedy struck as Emma looked at the proof in front of her. One could say it's not her fault, but it was. She hadn't been here to save them and prevent this. Emma reached out for her girls but couldn't breach the shields placed around Summersville.

"Hey watch those things," Havok said as he moved past Emma.

Emma looked down at her hands. They were diamond sharp and it took a large portion of her powers to force them to take the shape of touchable fingers. Thanks to Apocalypse and forcing her to become the Horseman Fear she was now stuck permanently in her diamond form and her fingers and body edges were razor sharp. She could make them safe, but it meant reducing the usage of her mental abilities. That was another reason for leaving the school to the others and going off on the search. Xavier might also hold the key to unlock the blocks keeping her from changing back to flesh and being able to safely touch Scott again.

"You know, none of this would have happened if we had stayed here and not gone into space," Slipstream said.

"Maybe, maybe not, but we couldn't risk the threat of both Magneto and Apocalypse," Havok said as Emma nodded.

It was that mission that had led them to this point. When they had followed Xavier's call to space they wound up teaming up with Magneto and his Brotherhood to battle Apocalypse who had been brought back by Exodus. The results of this battle led to the base exploding. One group crashed landed in Egypt and became test subjects for Apocalypse's Horseman. She, along with six others had become his Horsemen while Ozymandias saved Havok and Bishop from the beam of fire. Ozymandias soon transformed and became a Horseman of Hell and took on the Horsemen of Apocalypse.

In the end, Crimson Commando and Ozy were killed as well as Ozy sending Apocalypse to New York where he had been sacrificed to bring Semaj forth into our world. With the death of Apocalypse they had regained their minds back but Exodus chose to part with Thunderbird and Toad to places unknown while Emma, Havok, Bishop, Rouge and Slipstream headed to New York. There they faced the Demon Storm and the coming of Semaj. They battled strongly as Emma reached out and found Cable. It sadden her because Scott and the others were nowhere on Earth, that meant they were up there in space somewhere, dead or alive.

Distracted Emma had been sent plunging into the water. Her form made it hard to swim and she sunk easily. It took everything she had to make it back to the surface and onto Ellis Island. Once she was on dry land she realized she had made it just in time to see X-Calibur killed and then Strange take down Semaj and win the battle. The fight was over but the clean up was just beginning. Emma had a mission but had to take care of a few things.

Her team and Cable and Dani's team played catch up as they got things ironed out on what would happen next. While she had retrieved a few students back from Salem-X and the Exiles she had a mental conversation with Strange. He wanted to know where Xavier was for some reason. More secrets she thought. She told him what happened and then he revealed to her that Black Bolt gave word of a wormhole opening up near where the base had exploded in space. Emma now knew without a doubt that the remaining X-Men and Brotherhood had been sucked into the wormhole.

She, Havok and Slipstream had decided to go on the search for the missing X-Men while she sent Rouge and Bishop back with Dani. She meant every word that Sam and Dani were still in charge. She had other plans for Rouge and Bishop. There were things she needed to know and while she searched for Xavier they would search for his secrets. She wasn't sure how they would find them but she knew that her gut told her to begin at the Xavier Institute and that is where the three mutants now found themselves.

"What are you thinking?" Emma glanced over at Scott's brother.

"What, can't you tell me?" Havok smirked. He had never truly liked or trusted the former White Queen.

"Don't test me," Emma said knowing that if she were to unleash her powers she would lose control over her body.

"Lighten up, Frost. I just can't fathom that all this time we had another brother and never knew it. The fact that Xavier got him killed and erased him from our lives," Havok began to growl with anger.

"Guys, do you feel that? I'm picking up something," Slipstream said as he looked up to the sky.

"What is it?" Havok asked as Emma looked stared at the sky opening up her mind.

"I think something is coming. I can feel it," Emma said as Slipstream nodded.

Suddenly the wind picked up as loud boom went off in the sky. The whole earth shook as a portal opened up in the sky. As Emma fell to the ground she saw several figures drop from the portal. Just as quickly as it had opened the portal closed and the wind went still. Emma got to her feet and opened up her mind as she lost control and her fingers became sharp weapons. Her eyes went wide as Havok and Slipstream looked over at her.

"X-Men, hurry!" Emma shouted as she dashed off in the direction of the falling people.

"What is it? What came out of the portal?" Havok asked as he and Slipstream sprinted after the diamond woman.

"The missing X-Men," was all they heard Emma say.

The three made it to the clearing where they saw six figures laying in the ground. Four they recognized but the other two they had never seen before. Blob's fat body was easy to recognize. Even though he was in an X-Men suit, Emma recognized the mug of Dominic Detros the mutant known as Avalanche. Next to him was the slender form of Sage. Emma then saw Banshee and gasped. He was not only unconscious but it was clear that his legs and arms were broken.

"Sean," Emma said moving to his side as she forced her fingers back to normal.

"Emma? Alex? Are we home?" Sage asked getting to her feet.

"Yes, we're not too far from what's left of the Xavier Institute," Alex said.

"Where are the others?" Sage asked looking around.

"Others? You six were the only ones that came out of the portal before it closed," Emma said.

"Darn it. They didn't make it," Sage swore.

"Who are these two? If it weren't for the short hair I would say she was a dead ringer for a younger Jean," Havok said as he pointed at the girl with red hair and the girl with the webbed hands, scales and gills.

"That would be Jean's sister Suzy and Warren Worthington's sister Wendy," Sage said as she approached Emma.

"So it's all true," Alex said as he stared at the two new mutants.

"What others were you talking about? Was Scott with you?" Emma asked Sage.

"No Scott was not with us and what did you mean by rest of the institute?" Sage said as she looked over and saw the construction site.

Emma and Sage both knew there were a lot of questions but not enough time. Emma's fingers sharpened as she opened up her mind and connected with Sage. Soon everyone was brought up to speed. Sage and her team learned of Apocalypse, Egypt, the destruction of the school and Semaj and the Demon Storm which led them back to this point while Emma and her team learned about the wormhole and them finding Darwin and the others and then the battle with the Others and the six of them showing up here. It was hard for anyone to speak for the next few seconds.

"I can't believe the school is gone," Sage said as she took in the new information she had just received.

"Now we need to search for them more than ever. Wow, not only do I have a brother but he's still alive and out there somewhere," Havok said with a flood of mixed emotions.

"So, you're Gabriel's brother?" Sway said as she stared at Havok.

"Yes, and you're Jean's sister," Havok said with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Wendy asked looking at the strange man.

"I have a chance to find my brother, but you won't get a chance to meet your sister since she died in battle," Alex said as he looked at the teary eyed Sway.

"I don't care about the rest of you but now that I'm home I'm out of here," Blob said as he took of at a slow run.

"Shall I stop him?" Slipstream asked.

"No, let him go. He proved himself with us and we don't have time to deal with him," Sage said as Emma agreed.

"We need to start searching for the others. Thanks to your portal, Slipstream should be able to track the signature," Emma said.

"Yes and this devise should help too," Sage said handing the tracker she and Forge designed to Emma.

"I get the feeling you're not coming along," Havok said looking at Sage.

"No, I can't. As much as I had planned too I can't now that I know the school is being rebuilt. I have to be here to help assist in the setup. Plus, Sean needs medical help and I want to tend to him and other matters," Sage said as she thought about Rouge and the others hanging at the school.

"That'll be a shame. We could use your knowledge and help," Havok said.

"Actually, this will help," Sage said pulling out a small devise.

"What is that?" Emma asked.

"It's called an Immobile Emitter. Forge helped me design and build it," Sage said as she pushed a button and the devise suddenly floated in the air for a second and then found itself attached to an exact replica of Sage.

"What the?" Sway said staring at the two Sages'.

"It's an advanced hologram. I call it Tessa-2. She'll have all my knowledge, skills and personality. She will help you since I can't be there. If anything, bring back the chip inside the Emitter. I will use that to upload everything she learns into myself," Sage said as they all stared in amusement.

"Great, but useful," Emma rolled her eyes.

"What about these two?" Havok asked pointing at Suzy and Wendy.

"We're coming with you," Sway said to Emma and Havok.

"No," Emma said.

"We have every right to come. Our friends and siblings are out there, plus we can prove useful," Wendy pushed.

"I agree. They have every right to come. They'll be familiar in that area of space," Havok said as Sage nodded.

"Fine, they can come," Emma said thinking how Sway's powers could come in handy.

"I'm going too," Avalanche said.

"Absolutely not," Havok said.

"I have every right. My friends are out there too," Dominic began to shout.

"You just want to come to prove yourself and get with Tessa," Emma smirked.

"Get out of my mind, you witch," Avalanche said.

"I need to get Sean to a hospital," Sage said as she went over to a tree and pulled out a hidden panel. After pressing a few buttons a hanger rose out of the ground revealing a small ship.

"I forgot about all the little tricks here at the mansion," Havok said.

Havok helped get Sean onto the ship and waved as Sage took off. Havok then went over and deactivated the Emitter and placed the device in his pocket before Dominic got too close to the hologram. As much as he didn't want Avalanche to come along, Wendy seemed to vouch for him and Emma agreed that they could use his fire power since they were heading off to the unknown.

"I guess it's just the six of us," Havok said as he looked at the small group.

"Actually, there's one more," Longshot said leaping out of the trees.

"What are you doing here?" Havok asked.

"I was with Psylocke and we were starting our search for the missing X-Men. After her brother died she went back to England and by luck I ran into you guys here," Longshot said.

"I don't know," Emma said looking at the man with blond hair and a cheesy smile.

"Hey, I want to find my Allison and you could use my luck," Longshot said as they agreed to let him tag along.

"Okay, so how do we do this?" Suzy asked.

"We have Tessa-2 use the tracker and with Longshot's luck, Slipstream should be able to track, follow and teleport all of us back to the point you guys came from. Once there, we can retrieve the X-Men ship and the other X-Men and then search for the others," Emma said thinking how easy this hopefully would be.

"Then let's get started," Havok said as he reactivated Tessa-2 and Emma gave her the tracker.

"You can come out," Emma said suddenly turning to someone standing in the shadows. With her powers occupied she knew someone was there but that was all she got. She really hated this.

A man in his twenties stepped out wearing a crimson suit with yellow on it. He had red hair and a goatee. Those that had been at the Statue of Liberty recognized him as one of the members of Salem-X. His name was Wade Harkus but we went by the codename Magnus. They all watched as he came near them.

"What are you doing here? I told Wanda that our ties are cut," Emma said.

"I'm not here on behalf of Salem-X. I want to come with you on your search," Magnus said.

"Why would you want to do that?" Havok asked with concern.

"I've recently learned that Wanda Maximoff is my mother," Magnus said.

"Which makes Lorna your aunt," Havok said in amazement of the revelation.

"And I also have a grandfather among the missing," Magnus said.

"Yes, Magneto, the man you take as your namesake," Emma said now truly intrigued by this so called son of Wanda.

"I never knew Magneto had any grandkids. So if Wanda's your mother, who's your daddy?" Avalanche asked about his old master and his daughter.

"It's all true and still new to me but that's all a story for another time. I insist on joining the search for my family," Magnus said.

"I think this group will prove interesting," Emma said as Wendy stared at Magnus with great interest.

"All is set," Tessa-2 said as the group of new X-Men gathered together.

Slipstream called forth his powers and with a little help from Tessa-2 and Longshot he engulfed everyone in his powers until they were all swallowed up in his warp wave energy. Then in a blinding light they all shot upwards as they teleported out of sight.

**Next: Issue #16 – The Search Begins Anew**

**Plus, don't forget to check out the following issues for the Demon Storm Aftermath:**

**Salem-X #19**

**New Exiles #18**

**Power Pack #15**

**Mutant Generation Force #16**

**X-Calibur #15**

**Sensational X-Men #15**


	17. The Search Begins Anew

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #16 – The search begins anew**

_**Space – Planet of the Others**_

A small room sat empty and destroyed. A machine of sorts on one end of the wall was completely fried from what appeared to be a blast that caused it to explode. On the wall adjacent from the machine was what appeared to be the constructs for a gateway or portal of sorts. The portal edges were cold and dark from scorching and the middle completely void of any life or of use ever again. On the wall across from the dead gateway was an exit leading out of the room. The door that once concealed this secret room is clearly blown away. Something had once gone on in this room, but now it sits cold and empty.

Suddenly a small circle of energy begins to appear in the center of the gateway. As the circle of energy grows bigger and brighter it is obvious it is not coming from the gateway or machine but from some other outside source. The beam of energy shoots out and begins to unfold revealing eight figures. As the energy pulls away from the figures it begins to pull into and form a ninth figure. As soon as the energy vanishes the ninth figure drops to the ground.

"You okay?" Sway asks as she bends down to help the man up.

"Yes, but feeling very drained. Didn't realize how far we would be going. I've never used my powers to that extent before. For a minute there I almost lost you all before we got here, wherever here is," Slipstream said getting to his feet.

"Lucky you didn't," Longshot winked as he looked around.

"Looks like the machine was blasted as something broke its way into here. No sign of life but there's traces of blood next the machine here," Tessa-2, the advanced hologram unit of Sage said.

Frost looked around the room and then at her teammates. Frost, the woman known as Emma Frost or at times as the White Queen, had decided to go on a mission to find the missing X-Men. Not because she truly cared about her teammates, only because Scott Summers and Charles Xavier were among the missing. She had to find them because one she loved and the other she wanted to rip answers from before she killed him. She was lucky enough to not have to undertake this mission alone. Others had volunteered to join her for their own reasons for finding the X-Men.

Alex Summers, the mutant known as Havok and long term member of the X-Men was going for one reason and one reason only. Not to find his fellow friends and teammates or even his brother Scott as he might lead people to believe. Like her, he was only searching for his one true love, Lorna Dane the Polaris. She was the only reason he was going on this mission and he will bring her back at all costs. If he happens to find his brothers or Xavier to slap around, that would be a pure bonus.

The next two, Sway and Océana otherwise known as Suzy Grey the sister of Jean Grey and Wendy Worthington the sister of Warren Worthington are part of Xavier's secret and a clue to possibly many more. Siblings of the original X-Men had been sent to their death and then erased from memory. Once their existence was discovered they had been thought dead till a group of X-Men found them. Now two of the six show up on Earth and have agreed to go back and find their missing siblings and teammates. She has allowed them to come not because they can help but because she isn't ready for the others to know they are alive till she gets back. Plus, the memory loss they went though keeps Emma from finding anything in Sway's mind and in Océana's mind she can't even touch it. That alone captures her interest.

The X-Man known as Longshot has been gone and once thought dead. This played rough on his relationship with X-Man Allison Blair or better known as, the Dazzler. Just before he could make contact with her. She goes missing with the other X-Men. With his great luck, he began his search which led him to Emma and her search team. Emma really didn't care if he was here or not, but one thing she has learned is when fate throws you a little luck don't turn your nose up at it. Especially when her group happens to end up in a spot in space that took a wormhole for the other X-Men to get to the first time and in one piece.

She glances over and sees a man wearing a black and yellow X-Man outfit. Emma finds it odd to see Dominic Detros the Brotherhood member known as Avalanche wearing the colors of "good". Whether he wants to find his old teammates or pretend to be good to impress Sage, Emma could care less. His raw power and easily manipulated mind was all she found useful to have her back on this mission. He wasn't the most brilliant man in the world but she could use him just as well. Who knows what they were going to be facing out here in unknown space.

The man standing next to Detros had really captured her interest. His name was Wade Harkus and he had been on a team called Salem-X going by the codename Magnus. She didn't know a lot about the man and normally wouldn't have allowed him to come but his investment in the mission was quite interesting. It appears he is the son of Wanda Maximoff which makes him the nephew of Polaris and the grandson of Magneto. Both who are among the missing and he is determined to find his long lost family. Watching how this may play out is worth having him along on this mission.

The woman, if you could call her that, kneeling by the machine is known as Tessa-2. She is actually a very advanced hologram program powered by the device on her arm. The Immobile Emitter generates the hologram that can be as solid or as lifelike as any human. Tessa-2 looks like and is modeled after the X-Man known as Sage programmed with all her knowledge, skills and personality. Emma knew that Tessa-2 would be valuable and the next best thing to actually having Sage here. Plus, a computer hologram could prove more useful in ways than a human would. Simple fact, a hologram couldn't be shot or killed. Like Emma thought, very useful. Just like the last member of her crew.

Davis Cameron, the mutant known as Slipstream had agreed to help Emma. Which was fortunate since it was his powers alone that were able to bring them here to this starting point. This alone probably saved them months or years of valuable search time. She had been prepared to "convince him" to come but she didn't have to. He had a sister among the missing. Her name was Heather or Lifeguard and he was determined to find her and bring her back. Out of everyone on this team, he was the only one that wasn't expendable. If they were guaranteed a way home, it was his powers that would do it and they all knew it.

"I've run a diagnostic on the blood. It appears to be a match to Forge," Tessa-2 said standing back up and tapping her red glasses.

"Then something must have happened to him. He was running the machine when I went through and he was fine," Sway said and Océana agreed.

"As was he when Sage and Avalanche went through," Tessa-2 said.

"A battle must have broken out here and the machine destroyed before the others could use it," Havok said.

"I wish there was a way to find out what happened here," Frost said as she let go of her powers.

Everyone jumped back as sharp points shot our form her boots and her fingers became sharp like knives. Her hair and the edges of her body seemed to become deathly sharp as well. She looked like the young mutant Penance but white, diamond skinned and more deadly to touch. Emma's eyes glowed yellow as she began to reach out with her mind.

"This is a side effect of Apocalypse's handy work. It takes all of my powers to hold my body in a safe form. I have to let myself go in order to use my mental abilities," Frost said to them all without speaking.

"Are you getting anything?" Longshot asked.

"No, I'm not finding anything. There are no living minds here," Frost said as she came back and her body switched back to her diamond friendly form.

"I might be able to help," Sway said.

"How's that?" Havok asked.

"In my training exercises I discovered that with my time powers that not only can I slow time but I can bring up mental images of past events. Maybe I can try and do that here," Sway said shrugging.

"We don't have a lot of time to waste but give it a shot," Emma said as Sway nodded and closed her eyes.

Suzy concentrated and could feel her powers tickling at the back of her mind. Instead of bringing time to a stop she focused on reaching back and pulling time forward. She hadn't had a whole lot of practice so she wasn't sure if she could do it or how far back she would actually go. As soon as she felt like her mind was being tugged, she just latched on and pulled with all her might. She then opened her eyes and nudged at the minds around her as she forced her past image to take shape here in front of them.

She began to see ghostly images take shape. The more she concentrated the more distinct the images began to appear. Soon the images had fully taken shape and started to fill in with color. Suzy began to fill dizzy as she pushed harder with her powers. The images began to move very slowly but there was no sound. She tried concentrating on bringing voice to these mental images when she got woozy and the images began to fade. She let go of the sound and refocused on the images themselves and they came back and started playing like a silent film before their eyes.

"What, no sound?" Avalanche asked with a smirk.

"Quiet you buffoon. She's concentrating," Emma said as she watched the old movie playing before them.

Emma was amazed at Suzy's abilities even though she shouldn't be. She was Jean's sister. Watching the battle was as if they were right there, except they couldn't interact with the characters. She smirked as her companions flinched and moved like fools at the actions of the images before them. Emma watched closely as to not miss anything. She didn't care so much as what happened to the X-Men left behind, but what she was up against if they were to come up against these "Others". Emma moved her head back and forth as she watched the Others attack their prey.

Dozens of demonic robots were pouring into the room. Fire blasts coming from their glowing red eyes backed up with their speed and super strength made them a dangerous threat. In the mist of the fighting they saw three figures fighting. One man with dark hair was sending off force blasts of energy at the robots while an odd looking man stood behind him. Just off to the left of the pair was a woman with green hair who was using her power over magnetism to send the robots crashing away from them. Havok stared with wide eyes as he looked from the woman with green hair to the man with dark hair.

"Is that?" Havok began to ask.

"Yes, that is your brother Gabriel Summers, also known as Vulcan. Standing behind him is McCoy's half-brother Armondo Munoz, also known as Darwin," Tessa-2 said reporting the facts.

"Sorry, seeing my long lost brother alive and well fighting side by side with my Lorna is a little overwhelming," Alex said trying not to get chocked up.

"Lorna? You mean the woman with green hair?" Magnus began to ask as he stared mesmerized at the woman in green.

"Yes, that would be your aunt," Alex said.

"Look, something's happening," Avalanche said pointing towards the two men.

They watched as Vulcan grew tired. The Others were nearly upon him when Darwin began to glow with weird energy. That energy began to mix with Vulcan's power and then engulfed them both. Just as the robotic demons pounced the two mutants vanished in a pulse of energy. Lorna risked a glance to see what had happened, when a blast hit Lorna causing her to knock out and Havok to call out. The Others grabbed her and hauled her out of the room as another two Others walked over to a man laying against the blasted control panel for the gateway. Frost flinched as she recognized the guy.

"That's Forge," Frost said.

"That would confirm finding his blood on the machine," Tessa-2 said.

"Looks like one of those robots had blasted him," Océana said as they watched the room empty.

"No, I don't think so. The blast on his chest did not come from the Others. The hole and blast marks on his chest are clearly from the barrel of a gun not a robot's eye," Tessa-2 said analyzing the scene.

"Are you sure about that?" Avalanche asked as he stared at the hologram of Sage.

"Yes, as sure as the blast on his chest matches the blast that destroyed the portal," Tessa-2 responded, rolling her eyes at him.

"That would explain why no one else made it through the portal, but who would have done that?" Océana asked.

"Hard to say," Frost said and then thought to herself, _but I bet there's a traitor amongst the group._

"Someone did it, but why?" Longshot asked as he looked around the room.

"Maybe Sway can rewind and go back farther and show us what happened," Magnus said looking at Sway.

"I don't know, it's taking all I have to show this," Sway said as the images began to fade.

"We don't have time. Those creatures took Lorna and we have to go after them," Havok said.

"Alex, I don't know how long ago this took place but I don't feel her here. I think we need to press on, Sway is expended for now," Frost said glancing at Jean's sister.

"I agree with Emma, plus, what do you think happened to Vulcan and Darwin?" Océana asked as she helped Sway remain on her feet as the scene from the past completely vanished.

"They teleported out of here when Darwin's powers to adapt to survive kicked in and mixed with Vulcan's energy powers," Tessa-2 reported.

"To where?" Longshot asked.

"Not sure, but the signature I'm tracking heads off planet and then jumps completely off my radar. I'm just guessing that with their powers combined they could have gone anywhere in this galaxy," Slipstream said.

"If it makes any difference, the only mutant readings I'm getting is from everyone in this room," Tessa-2 said as she looked at the tracker in her hand.

"So that means the Others took them off planet or they're laying somewhere dead here," Avalanche said.

"Don't say that," Sway cried as she glared at the man.

"If they're dead, their bodies are not here or the tracker would pick them up," Tessa-2 said tapping the device. "One of the adjustments Forge and Sage had made to the tracker was to pick up each of their mutant signatures, dead or alive."

"That's good to know," Frost said glancing at Havok hoping he would keep it together.

"We need to get out of this room and see if the spaceship is still out there," Havok said.

"If it were, we won't reach it. The air up there is not breathable," Avalanche said.

"I can help with that," Magnus said with a smile.

"Let's go then, but be careful. The Others may still be out there," Frost said as they all nodded.

They made Tessa-2 lead the way since she was just a hologram. They left the room and found themselves in a cell within a dungeon of sorts. With Sage's knowledge, Tessa-2 was able to lead them to the corridor that led topside. They came to the stairs and looked upwards. It was a long way up but they knew that the planet above waited them. Magnus nodded as he gathered everyone around him and placed himself dead center of his comrades. He raised his hands out and closed his eyes.

"Evitcetorp dleihs ot yrrac su lla ylefas!" Magnus shouted as he called on his powers.

They all watched in awe as electricity began to pour out of his hands and form an electrical sphere around them all. Magnus opened his eyes and continued to concentrate as the sphere lifted off the ground and took the up and out of the underground base. Those that had not been here before stared at the strange and dusty planet's terrain. Magnus pushed the sphere in the direction Tessa-2 told him and then stopped when they reached the spot the X-Men's ship should be and wasn't.

"They took it. What do we do now?" Avalanche panicked a little.

"Maybe we should head back to the base and search for a ship or something," Havok said.

"Go back there and risk running into the Others?" Océana asked glancing back in the direction they had come.

"What ever we decide we better do it quickly. I don't know how much longer I can hold this shield," Magnus said starting to feel the strain.

"Wait, I'm detecting something," Tessa-2 said and then started to make a series of weird noises.

"What's she doing?" Havok asked looking at Frost.

"I caught a blip and reached out. The ship's still there. Someone was smart enough to put the cloak on. I've turned it off," Tessa-2 said as the X-Men's large spaceship shimmered and appeared before their eyes.

"Wow, talk about luck," Longshot smirked as Tessa-2 commanded the docking doors to open and Magnus took them directly in.

"We need to this thing working," Frost said as the doors sealed shut.

"All systems are up and running," Tessa-2 said as she somehow communicated with the ship causing it to come to life and all systems including life-support kicked in.

"This is amazing," Magnus said as he shut off his powers and began looking around.

"You can control the ship?" Havok asked the hologram.

"Sage and Forge programmed the Emitter to communicate with the ship when we got near it. I believe if you insert my Emitter into the ships console I can integrate with it and take complete control of the ship," Tessa-2 said as she headed for the cockpit.

"Until we know it's safe, we all stick together," Frost said as they all followed after Tessa-2.

They made it to the cockpit and Tessa-2 shut off. Havok grabbed the Emitter and plugged it into the ships console. Tessa-2's image appeared on the main computer screen as she seemed to become one with the ship. The ship seemed to become fully alive and ready for action. A fuzzy holographic image of Sage appeared in the driver's seat of the ship as to make it not look too weird to be operating without the help of a human being. Emma stepped near the computer image as she suddenly became sharp and untouchable.

"I detect no other minds on this ship," Emma said as she redirected her powers and became safe again.

"I have done a full ship scan and analysis. There are no intruders or unwanted things aboard this ship. You are all there is. There are a few things that need to be fixed which will only take me a few minutes and then we will be at one hundred percent," Tessa-2 said as the ship began to self repair.

"Take a look at this. I seemed to have stumbled upon the ship's recorder," Longshot said as the others gathered around him.

They watched as they saw dozens and dozens of robotic looking ships blast off and head into space. That's the last activity the cameras show until they saw themselves approach and enter the ship. They rewound the cameras and showed the crew leaving for the base and then the rest follow soon after. There was nothing else after that until the images of the ships taking off. Longshot shut the recorder off and looked at Emma and Havok.

"What now?" Longshot asked as his mind began to flood with thoughts of Allison Blair, his one true love.

"It's obvious the Others all left with Forge and Polaris and Darwin and Vulcan teleported off planet. The only one's unaccounted for are Dazzler, Spirit, Petra and Mystique. Since their readings are not being detected, it's safe to assume that if the Others haven't taken them that the resourcefulness of Mystique and Dazzler have gotten them off planet," Emma said looking at her crew.

"Yes and we'll be safer if we get off this planet before the Others return or something worse," Océana said as everyone began to take their seats and prepare for take off.

"Tessa-2, take us off planet. I want you to do a final scan of the planet once we're in space. If we don't turn up anything or anyone then we start tracking and begin the search for our missing," Emma said as the ship began to ascend.

After a few minutes of rough atmosphere and intense shaking the ship was now floating in space looking down upon the planet of the Others. Tessa-2 did a scan of the planet and came up with nothing. Wherever their missing comrades were, they were no longer down there. Tessa-2 and the rest of this new group of X-Men looked towards Emma as she stared off into space. Emma looked at Havok and did not say a word.

"Don't worry, with Tessa-2's mutant tracker, Emma's mental powers, Slipstream's transport tracking abilities and Longshot's luck we'll find our friends and loved ones in no time," Havok said as he forced a comforting smile to everyone.

Everyone watched with hopeful anticipation as those mentioned reached out and began the search.

**Next: Issue #17 – Island of Surprises**


	18. Island of Surprises Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #17 – Island of Surprises – Part One**

_**Unknown Island – The Brotherhood**_

Ororo Monroe, the mutant known as Storm sat atop the tree branches looking down at her new home. She was amazed at how well everyone worked, whether they wanted to or not, under the leadership of the man known as Magneto. They had turned the hive like dwelling into a comfortable and safe home and fortress. It wasn't the mansion or a Hilton, but it was suitable and allowed a person to sleep without fear of the unknown coming at them. Magneto and the resourcefulness of Wingblade had secured the perimeter with a primitive alarm. Something trips the wire and the metal ringing will alert them and with a wave of his hand, Magneto can reset them.

In all her years she has always hated Erik but yet respected the man. He wasn't truly evil as everyone makes him out to be. He was simply Xavier with his own extreme dream of mutant survival. Could you blame a man who since the time he was young had to fight to survive while witnessing his family, in one form or another, being hunted down and killed. You almost couldn't blame the man for why he acted as he did and making very hard decisions, whether good or bad. Storm did not the many times Erik had tried to walk the path of Xavier or good, but something always pulled him back, except fairly recently.

Erik had chosen the road to redemption and wanted to start doing right by his kids; Pietro Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff, Lorna Dane and his granddaughter Luna Maximoff. At this point, his relationship with them was pretty shaken and estranged. He ended up going with Xavier to Genosha to rebuild and start over. Unfortunately, Xorn's evil brother impersonated Magneto and attacked Manhattan wish resulted in the death of Jean Grey and Wolverine killing the fake Magneto leaving the world to believe Erik to be evil again and hopefully dead. Later, the X-Men and few others would learn he was still alive and in Genosha all that time.

Even if those who believed the Erik in Genosha was the evil mutant who attacked Manhattan, Storm knew that he wasn't and that his true last act was heading off to battle Apocalypse that resulted in them being here on this unknown island on some unknown planet. She also has grown to know and see Erik in a new light, stepping up as a leader with a stern hand to control the Brotherhood while protecting and integrating her and the other X-Men into one unified team. Whether each side liked it or not, they followed as he showed them all stern leadership and compassion. That's why spending time on this island together, Storm was able to see through the hard wall he had built up all these years and see the real man underneath it all.

Her mind and X-Man instinct said she shouldn't trust him, but her heart seemed to be telling her otherwise. Maybe he has dedicated himself to a new path in life, away from the dictatorship and violence he once walked. Maybe, just maybe all he really wanted was a family to love and love him back without fear of persecution. Whether that family was his current one or the chance to start a new one, Storm believed either or both might bring his life back to true fulfillment. Erik just needed someone to help him find that, someone who could give unconditional love and understanding.

As Storm reflected, she began to wonder, could that someone be her? They had shared an unexpected moment and a kiss almost a month ago. Since then, it hasn't happened again or even been talked about. Nothing on the outside has appeared to change between them and they have carried on as normal. This puzzled her and she hated not feeling in control of a situation. Had it been a mistake or did it mean something to him or her? Maybe they should talk about it. She just didn't know what to do. Should she try to forget about it or pursue it in hopes of it happening again?

"Are you doing okay up there?" Erik asked interrupting her thoughts before her mind and heart could debate the issue.

"Yes, just thinking about all we've accomplished in the months we've been here," Storm said smiling down at him.

"I would agree, things seem more like a home than a prison," Magneto said as he uses his powers to propel him upward and levitate before Storm.

"I see you've finally adjusted to this planet and gained greater control of your abilities," Ororo smiled.

"As have you, Ororo. I've seen calm winds give you flight and the weather completely bow to your will," Magneto said as he looked directly at her.

"So, you've been watching me?" Ororo found herself asking with a playful tone.

"Only to make sure I don't have to provide cover for an unplanned lightening storm or sudden tornado," Erik said as he found himself taking a seat next to Ororo while she let him without hesitation.

"Very funny," Ororo said slapping him lightly on the leg.

"I wasn't aware of any joke being made," Erik smirked as he glanced her way, locking eyes.

"Well, things have changed. It may not feel like a prison but we're stuck here never the less," Storm said looking away and feeling flushed.

"Maybe not for long," Magneto said not taking his eyes off her.

"What do you mean?" Storm asked looking at him suddenly.

"As you know, we've come along way on the alien space craft. As of an hour ago, it is completely repaired. All we have to do is find a way to power and fuel it and we can move off this island," Magneto said.

"That's great, finally a little hope on the horizon," Storm said as she realized in her excitement she had placed her hand on top of Erik's hand.

"Well, if and when we make that happen, I still want time dedicated to that portal machine. With the help of N'Lea we should have that rebuilt soon too," Erik said

"Yeah, she has been a great asset to us and has spent a lot of time helping you," Storm said staring to pull back as she felt a little green bug nipping at her.

"Oh, I agree but it seems her new found love interest would rather enjoy her company more than I would," Erik said as he turned more towards her.

"It's good that they enjoy each other's company," Storm said not really sure what to say.

"Yes, it's really comforting when a person can find someone that they like spending time with," Erik said as he began to lean in.

"Erik, you've done so much to lead and keep this team together and focused on surviving and getting home again. I find myself looking at you in a refreshing new light," Ororo said as she swore to herself on her lack of verbal control.

"Ororo, you've done a lot to pull this team together too. You've been a rock and I couldn't have done this without your support by my side," Erik said fully smiling for the first time.

"Erik, this is so wrong," Ororo whispered softly as she found herself wanting to pull back but couldn't.

"How can something be so wrong when it feels so right?" Erik asked as he closed his eyes and leaned in.

Ororo could feel her heart pounding outside her chest. She began to feel the world close in as panic started to set in telling her to flee. She wanted to scream from the battle of emotions going on within her body. Just as she was about to explode she heard the clouds boom and a giant force of wind slam into her back. Storm gasped as she suddenly found herself in Magneto's arms, melting at the taste of his lips against hers. The Earth was moving and it had nothing to do with their powers.

_**Just Outside the New Brotherhood Base**_

"Oh, get a room already," Lifeguard snapped as she glanced in the direction of their two leaders.

"Heather, you're just jealous because the new gal snatched up Creed before you could make him your man," Cain Marko the Juggernaut laughed as he moved his hand along the side of their new spacecraft.

"Oh please, you really think that I, an X-Man would fall in love with one of our greatest enemies?" Heather asked with a nervous laugh as she looked from Storm to Cain.

"I must admit, Creed wouldn't be my first choice of someone to trust but Magneto isn't evil, he's just misunderstood and Ororo might do him some good," Cain said as he smiled lightly.

"I don't have feelings for that awful beast and he can do whatever he wants with whoever he pleases. The more I think about it the more I think Colossus is right. We shouldn't be falling so in line with the Brotherhood. Once evil always evil," Heather said wondering if she really believed that as she looked off in the direction Sabretooth had gone.

"Creed may be evil and probably a good idea that Piotr went with the search party for that power source Erik thought he felt, but I can't agree with you guy's assumptions," Cain said with a hint of anger as he looked directly at Heather.

"You truly trust the Brotherhood?" Heather asked not truly knowing if she did or not.

"Not everyone is truly evil with no means of redemption or second chances. Some are just deemed evil because people view them as different or don't agree with their choices. Isn't that the whole issue you mutants face everyday?" Cain asked getting a little louder.

"Yeah, I know but Magneto? I mean, he is on the top ten list of enemies you are trained against when you join the X-Men and Xavier's school," Heather said not really knowing if she felt this way or if the debate was something to take her mind of other things.

"Is Erik evil or is that what Xavier and others who don't agree with him brainwash you to think? Even if he has made some bad choices he's proved many times that he has some good in him and has really tried to change recently," Cain argued.

"No one can truly change and go from evil to good just like that," Heather said turning to walk away.

"You're wrong. What about me? I used to be one of Xavier's greatest nemeses. Hell, look at the X-Men roster and try arguing your point. What about Wolverine, Emma Frost, Rouge, Polaris, Gambit or those such as Jean Grey or Warren Worthington who have crossed over to the dark side. You think any of them are just evil laying in wait?" Cain said as his having to always prove he's changed time after time began to get to him.

"Most of them were forced against their will or have not done what Erik has. Even if I do think a few may just be playing it good. What I'm saying, some just can't change," Heather said now just wanting to not lose a debate.

"You think Erik wasn't forced to do what he's done and be who he is? I think if anyone watched their family killed and always being hunted might make a person hard. Whose to say how he would have turned out if not for that or any of us if something like that had happened to us? Hell, miss innocent Kitty Pryde could easily wake up tomorrow and decide to take over the world," Cain shouted.

"Okay, okay I see your point. I was just saying," Heather started to gear up when she heard the alarms go off.

"That's coming from the direction of the beach," Cain said as he dashed off with Lifeguard following right behind.

As they got half way to the beach they heard a rustle in the trees ahead of them and stopped. Cain held out his hand signaling Heather to stop while he looked to see what was out there. As they both listened, the movement stopped and the jungle went quiet. After a few minutes Heather looked at Cain with a questioning look when no movement or sound continued. It was like what ever was out there had left of stopped all together.

"You think it was an animal or something?" Heather asked.

"Hard to say," Cain said as he soon heard movement above him and looked up.

"What is it?" Magneto asked as he and Storm came down and landed before them.

"I don't know. It's seemed to have vanished," Cain said.

"Or hiding waiting to prey on us, you idiot," Magneto said as he glanced around, reaching out with his powers.

"Who ever you are, you better come out or face the power of a goddess," Storm shouted as her eyes went white, clouds began to roll and the wind started to pick up.

"Storm, Magneto is that you? Thank God, we've been walking for days. I need your help," a female voice said as a woman barely managing to drag a barely conscious man.

"Of all the people to survive," Cain and Heather whispered at the same time.

"Mystique? What a pleasant surprise," Erick said as he moved over and picked up the injured man from her and motioning for Cain to carry the man.

"Looks like he needs serous attention," Storm began to say and then stopped cold. "Forge!"

_**Unknown Island – A Days Walk from the Brotherhood Base**_

"This is a waist of time. We've been traveling almost a day and found nothing," Colossus complained.

"Quit you're moaning or I'll gut ya, Magneto or no Magneto," Creed the man also known as Sabretooth snarled.

"Well, we have been walking forever," Mammomax said as he looked around. We wasn't really complaining, now that he had his casts off he wanted to do anything that didn't involve sitting around at the base.

"Fighting will not get us anywhere," Wingblade said as she touched Creed's shoulder briefly and then moved past him.

"Whatever," Creed said backing off a little. "Magneto felt a sudden pull with his powers come from this direction. He hasn't felt it since but the farther we've come I've started to sense something strange and familiar," Creed said as he tilted his head up and started to sniff the air.

"Well, I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Maybe we should head back," Piotr said as he suddenly got a strange feeling. Here he was all alone surrounded by Brotherhood members sent off by Magneto who was back at the base alone with Ororo and Heather.

"Wait, do you notice that for the last few hours we've not heard or seen one sign of animal life," Wingblade said as she glanced a the trees seeing no trace of even insect life.

"Now that you mention it … maybe we should do as Colossus says and head back," Mammomax said suddenly getting an uneasy feeling.

"Quiet, I smell something," Creed said as he pounced off vanishing deeper into the woods.

"Vic!" Wingblade called after.

"N'Lea, wait. Creed can handle himself and it's better to wait before we go charging into the unknown," Colossus said as Mammomax nodded.

Wingblade glared at the steel man not believing in hiding back. She hadn't gotten to and through what she's gone through by playing it safe and weak. As she turned to go off after Sabretooth, a loud growl roared from the trees as an object came flying out of the trees hitting the ground between them. N'Lea screamed as Colossus moved over to the object. Piotr gasped in surprise to see the unmoving form of Sabretooth lying there with his front completely sliced open from his neck to his stomach.

"I think we're in trouble," Mammomax said stepping backwards from his teammates.

"I think you're right," Colossus said as he knelt down near Creed and looked straight ahead.

As Piotr looked at the direction Creed had been thrown from, he could almost make out the shadow of a very large creature with lots of fur. As he got to his feet he heard the other two call out. Colossus pivoted around to see that they were suddenly surrounded by dozens of creatures that appeared to be half human and half animal. They were making lots of growls and sounds that made no sense to him.

"Not sure what they are or what they want but they don't seem too intelligent," Colossus said looking at Mammomax.

"Actually, from what I can understand they are are quite advanced from normal animals and want us to surrender or they will kill us," Mammomax said as he looked from Colossus and Wingblade to the creatures that now began to move closer.

**Next: Issue #18 – Island of Surprises – Part Two**


	19. Island of Surprises Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #18 – Island of Surprises – Part Two**

_**Unknown Island – The Brotherhood**_

Colossus and Mammomax stood watching the creatures all around them while Wingblade knelt beside Sabretooth holding him protectively while his healing factor worked on repairing his body. They had traveled this far in search of a possible power source that might power the space ship that they had found and repaired. They had traveled about a day when Sabretooth had been gutted by something big while human-like animals had surrounded them demanding that they surrender or die.

"Tell them we don't mean any harm. We're stranded here and that we only came here looking for a way to help us get home," Colossus said.

"They don't care. We're trespassing on their Queen's land and if we don't come with them then they will kill us," Mammomax said after he had translated Colossus' message and then hearing their response.

"I refuse to surrender," Wingblade said as she moved back from Sabretooth.

"And I'm going to make them pay," Sabretooth said as the last of his wounds vanished and he sprang to his feet.

"Maybe we should," Colossus started to say when Sabretooth and Wingblade leapt at the creatures causing them to attack.

These humanoid creatures attacked with great speed using their teeth and claws as weapons. Colossus shrugged them off with his steel skin and enhanced strength. He couldn't believe how many there were and wondered where they were all coming from. He imagined he couldn't be too surprised with all they've encountered so far on this island. In truth, they truly didn't know how big the land was they were on or what other creatures and things they had yet to discover. For all they know, these were a peaceful tribe and were protecting their home from unknown strangers.

"Get your head in the game," Wingblade shouted as Piotr realized he had been drifting and was being dog-piled by a bunch of these creatures.

With great strength, Colossus flung the creatures off of him and into the air. Wingblade sighed with relief. The one thing she would never understand about these Earthlings was how they got distracted so easily. She had trained and thought herself to fight and put all energy and concentration in surviving and the battle at hand. The bleeding cuts and scratches all over her body from her attackers didn't faze her. She used her agility and speed to fend off and wound her attackers with her skin formed blades over her hands. Her fighting was good, but nothing compared to Creed.

Moving like a ferocious animal, Sabretooth tore through the humanoid creatures. In a matter of seconds he would go from one creature to the next, gutting them with his claws along the way. Wingblade was amazed at the extreme difference between Creed and Piotr. While Colossus took down his opponents without lethal force, Sabretooth didn't even blink when he struck at his opponent with a killing blow. It was that attitude that not only scared her but yet drew her to him. She couldn't help but desire the cold blooded man known as the Sabretooth.

"They just keep coming," Wingblade said as she grew her wings and dove up and then dove back down into the mass of their attackers.

"We can't keep going on like this," Colossus said as he sent an attacker flying into the path of a dozen more knocking them down.

"Then go off and run you pansy. I've been itching to cut loose for months now," Creed growled as he continued to rip through his prey, more animal than they were.

"Enough!" Boomed a female's voice that sounded more like a monster's roar before Colossus could respond.

Colossus noticed that immediately the humanoid creatures stopped attacking and back away almost into the shadows of the trees. Wingblade moved next to Colossus as she quickly shed her wings and arm blades. Creed paused and sniffed the air. He began to growl as he didn't like what he was picking up; a deadly and a familiar scent. Colossus began to move towards Creed when a figure emerged from the brushes not too far in front of them. Colossus didn't need Creed's senses to know that this was the voice's owner.

Hey all paused as what they thought at first was a woman came into their sight. They quickly realized that this woman was just like their attackers, a human-like beast. She had a very seductive body the color of green. At first look you might think she had green skin but the closer you looked it was obvious she had green fur. The only clothing she wore was a brown cloth-like bikini outfit and a strange brown amulet round her neck. Her feet and hands were bare showing off her clawed feet and hands while a long green tailed wagged back and forth behind her.

Colossus finally made eye contact and noticed her facial features. Her face was very woman like with flowing long green hair. The only differences were that she had animal like ears, cat-like eyes and minor snout with whiskers. She had a very beautiful, dark green lips that showcased her fangs when she smiled. Without a doubt she was very pretty but also very dangerous and clearly the leader of this pack. Creed sensed this too and immediately pounced at her. Colossus tried to stop him but it was too late, Sabretooth was inches from the animal-like woman.

"You dare?" The woman-beast growled as her eyes and amulet gave off a brief white light.

With great speed and force a creature leapt out of nowhere slamming Sabretooth to the ground. As Creed tried to get up the creature sliced him open from his waist up to his forehead with one powerful swipe. As Creed began to drop, the creature grabbed him with its maw and threw him up into the air. The creature then lifted up on its hind legs as it caught the body with both paws and slammed Creed into the ground pinning him. The creature's eyes glowed white as the woman-like creature walked up next to the large blue furred beast and petted it.

"McCoy!" Colossus shouted as the creature looked right at him and made eye contact.

_**The Brotherhood's Hive Base**_

They hadn't wasted any time getting back to the base with Mystique and the injured Forge. Storm couldn't believe it, Forge was alive and here. She was grateful, but would have felt better if he hadn't been accompanied by Mystique. They had done their best to examine Forge but he appeared to be okay. Just a little beat up and bruised, but very much alive. As Forge began to wake up, Erik had started questioning Mystique.

"I find it odd we haven't come across you sooner than this," Erik said studying Mystique closely.

"Actually we arrived here not too long ago. We were in a great battle and heading to a doorway. Something hit Forge and then an explosion went off and we found ourselves here," Mystique said staring Erik right in the eyes.

"What battle? Where were you and what about the others?" Lifeguard asked the same questions Storm and the others had been thinking.

"I do not know. All I remember is a battle and then being here. I can't seem to recall any other details," Mystique said as she looked around at all of them closely.

"Forge, what happened? What can you tell us?" Storm asked as she sat by his bedside.

"Sorry, I don't remember a whole lot. Last thing I remember is," Forge paused looking into Storm's eyes and then continued, "battling apocalypse and then being here. I'm sorry."

"He's as useless as she is," Magneto spat as Storm glared up at him.

"Whatever transported them here must have done something to their memories," Lifeguard said.

"I'm just so glad you're alive," Storm said hugging Forge.

"What's been going on here?" Forge asked looking from her to Magneto.

"We all crashed landed here and have been trying to find a way home," Juggernaut said as he kept his eye on Mystique.

"Yes and it's been something else," Lifeguard said as she and the rest of them began to fill the two in on what they've all been through since getting here.

"So you have a ship?" Mystique asked once they had finished their tale.

"Yes but it won't fly," Juggernaut said.

"If only," Storm began to say as Forge locked eyes with her.

"I could use my powers to get it flying," Forge finished.

"Yes, that would be great, especially if the others get back with nothing," Erik said watching the two with some new found envy.

"But first, you need to rest and get your energy back," Storm said as they all agreed and left Forge's room to let him rest.

A little later, Erik entrusted Lifeguard and Juggernaut to keep an eye on Mystique while he spoke with storm. "So you glad he's back?"

"Of course I am, as I would with any of our fellow comrades. Why would you ask such a thing?" Ororo asked.

"I was just asking. You think he can get that ship up and running?" Erik asked changing the subject.

"If anyone can, Forge can," Ororo said as she walked past Erik and then paused.

"You still love him?" Erik asked before she could speak.

"What?" Ororo said looking at Erik in shock.

"That look says all I needed to know," Erik said as he stormed out of the room.

"I don't have time for this," Storm swore as she headed back to her room.

Storm was angry. What right did Erik have to get mad like that? She hadn't thought about Forge romantically in years. As for Erik, they had shared two kisses and that was all. He had no claim on her, or did he? Storm was confused and Forge showing up here now didn't make it any easier. She no longer knew what she felt but suddenly found herself in route to Forge's room.

As she got to his room she heard voices coming form within. She paused and heard something about the ship but couldn't quite make it out through the closed door. Storm shrugged and opened the door and froze as she covered her mouth with her hand. Right in front of her was Forge in bed being kissed by Mystique as she leaned down from his bedside. Storm fled from the room as Mystique opened one eye and smiled.

_**Deep in the Forest**_

"You know that thing?" Wingblade asked looking at the large blue beast that had taken down and pinned Sabretooth to the ground.

"I believe so. One of my fellow X-Men and good friends, Henry McCoy. Somehow he's been devolved completely into a giant beast," Colossus said.

"Friend or not, if he's killed Creed then I will return the favor," Wingblade said glancing at the man made of steel.

"I think we leave Creed and get the heck out of here," Mammomax said as he trembled.

"Who are you and what have you done to my friend?" Colossus asked at the creature woman.

"I owe you no explanations. I am Animala, Queen of this jungle and commander of all animals. This here blue furred beast is my pet and bodyguard," Animala said as she continued to pet the blue beast. "And you are all my prisoners."

"Why, we haven't done a thing to you," Colossus said trying to find a peaceful way out of this.

"You haven't? Since you and your kind have landed here you have been killing my creatures for food and disrupting this Island. Now you must stand trial for this and the killing of my subjects," Animal said waving at the dead and wounded laying upon the ground.

"We're not going anywhere with you," Sabretooth growled as he suddenly pushed the blue beast off of him and got to his feet. Wingblade could see his wound almost healed.

"This one heals and I smell the same strange scent on this one as I did my blue pet," Animala said.

"Whatever," Sabretooth snarled as he leapt at Animala, claws and fangs bared.

"Kneel!" Animala commanded as she held out her hand and pointed at Creed.

Her eyes and amulet began to glow white. Colossus was taken back when Creed suddenly came to a stop and stared at the animal queen. It appeared that his eyes had begun to glow as white as Animala's eyes and amulet. As she lowered her hand, Creed got down on all fours and bowed before her. Colossus was trying to decide what to do next when Animala raised her other hand and Mammomax stepped before her and bowed with glowing white eyes.

"I don't think she was kidding. That amulet appears to give her the power over any animal-like creature. That would explain why they're not attacking her. I just wish I knew what she had done to Henry," Colossus said.

"We need to get to that amulet then. You can handle your blue friend while I go for the queen," Wingblade whispered as Colossus agreed that just one blue beast wouldn't be that hard to handle.

Animala smiled at the two before her as their whispers were as clear to her animal hearing as a monster's roar. With great speed she was standing between Creed and Mammomax. Before Colossus or Wingblade could react, the queen's eyes and amulet flared white as she bared her teeth and plunged them deep into Creed's neck and pulled away a large chuck of flesh and spit it out. Without missing a beat she did the same to Mammomax and then smiled as the amulet exploded in white light and then faded.

"Creed!" Wingblade cried as Colossus grabbed her and held her back.

They both stared in surprise as the white light faded and Animala stepped back away from her two victims. Colossus couldn't believe his eyes. The wounds on Creed and Mammomax's necks had closed up and healed. That wasn't the thing that had happened that caused the two to pause, it was what happened next. The two Brotherhood members began to convulse and transform. In a matter of minutes Mammomax had become a large elephant with sharp tusks while Creed had become a very large saber tooth tiger. Now it was clear to Colossus what had happened to McCoy.

"This can't be happening," Wingblade gasped.

Animala leapt with great force and landed on the back of the giant elephant and pointed at her new saber tooth tiger and blue beast. "Now, shall we talk about your surrender?" Animala asked as Beast and Sabretooth turned and growled at Colossus and Wingblade.

**Next: Issue #19 – Island of Surprises – Part Three**

**Here is a preview of a mini-series coming soon that will introduce a deadly new villain with shocking ties to the X-Men Universe. **

_**Florida – Miami Hospital**_

"I'll be right back," a beautiful nurse with blond hair says as she steps away from her patient and looks out the exam room's door and into the hallway.

She looks back and forth and sees patients, families and hospital staff running like crazy screaming in a panic. She can hear loud sounds coming from all around. She quickly runs into the hall and stops a RN in a dead run. "What's going on?"

"Evil mutants are attacking the hospital," the RN shouts as he dashes off in a dead run.

The nurse watches him run off and turns round when she hears a loud crushing noise. Soon the wall a few feet down the hall explodes and two figures step through. A few seconds later a figure dressed in red and purple with a matching helmet and cape floats through and rotates facing her. The nurse takes a few steps back as she gasps at who is before her.

"Magneto?" The nurse begins to ask and then realizes that the figure before her is not of a man but of a woman.

"Pyra, Super Sabra, secure the area while I deal with her," the floating woman commands as the other two figures dash off in the other direction.

"What are you suppose to be, Magneta the wanna-be Magneto knock-off?" The nurse laughs as she goes to call on her powers.

"No, I'm someone more deadly than he could ever be," the woman laughed as she hovered closer to the nurse.

"What, why won't my powers work?" The nurse panicked.

"Oh, you can thank my new best friend, Blindspot. While you were examining her she used her memory manipulation powers on you and made you forget how to use your powers," the floating woman laughed as the patient the nurse had just been with walked out into the hallway smiling.

"What do you want from me?" The nurse asked as she tried looking for an escape route.

"Well, my dear Amelia Voght, you were one of Erik's most trusted followers and one time lover and I'm in need of some information," the woman said lowering herself to the ground.

"Over my dead body," Amelia said as she turned and ran.

"That can be arraigned," the woman in the red and purple helmet said as she flicked her wrists causing two hospital beds to fly through the air and pin Amelia to the wall. Amelia screamed as the woman levitated and floated right at her.

_**To be continued in…The New Brotherhood: Blood Ties**_


	20. Island of Surprises Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #19 – Island of Surprises – Part Three**

_**Unknown Island – The Brotherhood**_

_**Deep in the Forest**_

Colossus stood there for a moment holding Wingblade back as he contemplated Animala's request to surrender. They had all walked into a pretty big situation out here in the forest and he wasn't sure how they would get out of it. Colossus, at the request of Magneto and Storm had agreed to follow Mammomax, Wingblade and Sabretooth as they head out to follow up on a possible power source for the ship. At first he thought he might be waling into a trap set by the Brotherhood to take him out and leave Storm and Lifeguard alone with Magneto and Juggernaut. He soon realized he was wrong. He had walked into something much worse.

They had found themselves surrounded by natives of the planet. Beings that were half animal and half human. It was quickly revealed that they were ruled by a green animal-like woman calling herself Animala. It also appeared that she wore an amulet that allowed her to control animal based creatures and transform them into more primal beasts. Animala had clearly done that to their old teammate Hank McCoy when they found him by her side as a large blue beast. They might have had a chance but she had quickly taken control of Creed and Mammomax and turned them into a large saber-toothed tiger and elephant. That left Pete and Wingblade alone in this unexpected situation.

"What is your answer?" Animala growled from atop the giant elephant, Mammomax.

"We can't win against them. I'll hold them off while you go back for help," Colossus whispered to Wingblade.

"No, I will not flee from a fight," Wingblade said as Colossus gave her a look to keep her voice down even though he assumed Animala could hear them anyway.

"Give our friends back and we promise we will leave in peace and never bother you or your people again," Colossus said giving it one more attempt.

"People? I tire of your excuses, lies and insults. Take them!" Animala commanded as Creed darted after Wingblade and McCoy leapt at Colossus.

Wingblade grew her wings and propelled herself up allowing her to sail over the attacking Creed and avoid his lethal first attack. She landed behind him and used her bladed arms to slice open his hind legs. As Creed howled in pain tumbled to the ground and rotated his body around, Wingblade made short work of his front legs too. Creed was now wounded and unable to move due to his severed legs. Wingblade knew she had minutes before Creed would recover and tear her to shreds. So she severed her wings and blades freeing her hands and made her next move.

She quickly slammed her hands together and focused her powers. Skin quickly grew over her arms and hands but had also begun to fuse together. Suddenly, her arms had merged into one large blade. Remembering what Creed had told her about his unbreakable bones so she had to calculate this exactly. She lunged forward as she plunged her blade through his chest, between his ribcage and right into his heart. Jerking up against the unbreakable rib bone, she broke the blade off inside Creed freeing herself and her hands.

"I did love you and I know you respect what I had to do," Wingblade said as she saw a glimmer of softness in the large cat's eyes before he dropped his head to the ground, dead.

Wingblade immediately grew her arm blades and waited her next victim.

Colossus hit the ground hard as Beast attacked him with great speed and strength. He knew he couldn't hold back much longer without risking his or Wingblade's lives. On the other hand, his friend was deep in there somewhere and he couldn't do anything that might harm or kill Henry. He got to his feet and clasped his hands together and swung. As Beast leapt at him, Colossus made contact and sent him flying backwards like a baseball. He had lost track of Creed and N'Lea, but he couldn't worry about them now. He had to neutralize Beast first and that meant going after the amulet around Animala's neck.

"You dare approach me?" Animala said as he tapped Mammomax on his hide.

The giant elephant swung his trunk hitting Colossus and sending him backwards. Piotr got to his feet as fast as he could, surprised by the impact the trunk had on him. Just as he was ready to charge, a strong force hit him in the back making him eat dirt. He didn't have to see to know that Beast was back and pinning him face first into the ground. Colossus laughed a little. Beast may be faster and stronger now, but he was dumb as can be. As much as his fangs had no affect on Colossus's steel skin, he kept trying to use him as a chew toy.

"Hank, you have to understand me. Fight her control, my friend," Colossus pleaded as he brought his elbow up and into Beast's gut.

Beast growled in pain and irritation as Colossus used the moment to turn over and grab his feral friend's head. With a quick movement, Colossus flipped Beast over and on his back. This gave Colossus the change to get up and put a headlock on the blue Beast. As Beast struggled, Colossus held on as tight as he could and used all his steel strength. After a few minutes Beast began to wind down as lack of oxygen began to take its toll. In a matter of moments Piotr patted his old friend as he dropped him to the ground unconscious. He felt bad for doing it but he had to.

"Wingblade?" Colossus questioned as he saw her walking away from a very bloody and motionless Sabretooth.

"I did what I had to do," Wingblade said as readied her arm blades.

"Quite formable," Animala commented as she stared at the two before her. "Warriors, attack!"

Colossus and Wingblade looked from side to side and dozens and dozens of the humanoid animals charged with great ferocity. Colossus began swinging his steel fists as Wingblade dodged and fought with her arm blades. Animala smiled as she watched the two drown in the sea of her warriors. It wouldn't be long before they fell before her warriors might.

_**The Brotherhood's Hive Base**_

"Storm, we need to talk," Magneto said as he stepped into her designated room in the Hive Base.

"Erik, I would like to be left alone right now," Storm said as she turned away from her visitor.

"Is something wrong? Did something happen?" Magneto asked as he noticed her eyes were a little misty and he knew he had seen her head towards Forge's room earlier.

"Nothing, I'll be fine," Storm lied.

She didn't know why she was being affected by Forge this way. Yes they had been in love once but they've both moved on since then. That chapter in her life had been written and closed. Then why was she so upset to see Mystique with him? She knew there was a period of time where Forge had been romantically involved with the evil, blue-skinned witch but that had ended, hadn't it? Either way it wasn't her business and shouldn't bother her, but it did and she didn't know why.

A part of her wondered if a lot of this was linked to her fear of what was happening between her and Erik. She really has developed strong feelings for the X-Men's on and off again enemy but she didn't know if she should pursue them. Maybe deep down she saw Forge's arrival as the excuse to ignore those feelings and not go down that path even if it meant using her old lover? That all ended when Forge didn't flock to her and chose Mystique over her. In the end, maybe that was the real issue, once again Forge hadn't chosen her.

"Fine, when you're ready to talk we'll talk," Erick said as he left Storm's room.

Anger filled Magneto as he moved down the passageways. Whether he was mad at Storm or Forge or their current situation didn't matter. He was mad and instinctively he was on his way to Forge's room. He didn't care what Forge had done to Storm, the fact he made her upset was all the fuel he needed. It had been a long time since he had truly cared about a woman. Yes he had minor romances but most he had manipulated to his own end, like Amelia Voght or one night encounters, like that witch in the Savage Land that unexpectedly resulted in the creation of his third daughter, Polaris. Through it all he had only truly loved one woman, Magda, the mother of his first three children.

He swore he would never love again like he had with Magda and let no woman truly into his heart, but somehow he found it different with Ororo. He didn't know why he was attracted to one of his long time hated foes and it bothered him. What were his real reasons for pursuing Storm? Was it really love, or something else he was yet to decipher? As always, he didn't have the answers and would wait to see where it would take him. For now, he would have to deal with the here and now, and that was the resurfacing of Forge and…

"Mystique?" Magneto stopped short to find the fowl woman coming out of Forge's room straightening her hair.

"Hey there," Mystique smirked as she moved out of the doorway and Magneto's path.

"What are you doing here and where's Forge?" Magneto asked with his anger boiling as he glanced into the empty room already knowing the answer to the first question and Storm's sudden mood swing.

"He left a little while ago to find Lifeguard and Juggernaut and get what he needs to get that ship up and running," Mystique said.

Magneto eyed her for a minute or two before he spoke. "What are you up to with Forge?"

"Nothing, can't a girl have a little fun?" Mystique asked playfully.

"This is not the time for your games. I know you're lying about not remembering how you and Forge got here. I want the truth and I want it now," Magneto said glaring into her eyes.

"I am telling you the truth. There was some king of battle and we suddenly ended up on this island. I truly can't remember any more details. What ever sent us here did something to my memories as they did Forge's," Mystique said as she began to fidget.

"You lie," Magneto said as his voice began to rise.

"I'm not lying. What's getting into you? I found myself here with Forge and he was injured. I drug him along, fending off the dangers of this island till we eventually found you all," Mystique said taking a step back from Magneto.

"Really, the Mystique I know would have left Forge to rot to survive and protect herself," Magneto said almost shouting now.

"Is that what this is about? You're jealous of him. I did what I did for survival to get back to you. You know I will always love you," Mystique said with a smile.

"That's it, tell me who you are and tell me now or I'll kill you!" Magneto screamed as he called on his powers over magnetic fields and metal to cause Mystique to slam against the wall as the floor lifts up, pinning her with great force.

"Magneto, stop, your crushing me," Mystique pleaded.

"Tell me who you are and what you're up to," Magneto shouted.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm Mystique," Mystique said.

"Don't play me a fool. I've been around enough to know when someone is touching my mind. I may not be able to fend off all mental tricks, but if someone deliberately tries to attack my mind, like you are now, I've mental defenses that protect me. It takes a very, very powerful telepath to even break those. Now, before I crush you, tell me who you are," Magneto demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I am Mystique, I swear," Mystique cried.

"No you're not. You see, when I felt the tickle of someone trying to find a love based memory from my mind I instinctively pushed the image of Mystique to my forethought. I then found that odd when you appeared with Forge moments after that.

"I had my suspicions, but they were confirmed just now when you said you loved me. I've never been involved with Mystique and the real Mystique would never have said she loved me or any man for that matter," Magneto growled as he pushed the force harder making the woman scream.

"Erik, what is with all this shouting?" Storm asked as she rounded the corner and then gasped at what she now saw. "Erik, what are you doing? Let her go!"

"Stay back Storm, she's an imposter," Magneto said not taking his eyes off the woman pinned to the wall.

"Storm, he's crazy. He's going to kill me. You've got to help me," Mystique pleaded.

"Erik, release her, now" Storm said starting to call on her powers.

"Ororo, stay back! Whoever or what ever this thing is, it's impersonating Mystique," Magneto said as he pushed harder hearing noises that may or may not have been bones.

"That's it," Storm said as she was about to release her powers but then stopped.

Mystique's face seemed to flicker for a second and then faded. The woman pinned to the wall was no longer Mystique but something all together alien. Storm could tell by her soft facial features that she was indeed a woman, but far different from her or Mystique. The alien woman had orange skin, no hair and webbed looking ears. That wasn't the odd thing about this woman. It was the third eye in the middle of her forehead that gave Storm the creeps. Thinking of this alien trying to trick her, her team and Forge made her anger shift from Erik to the alien.

"I knew it. Who are you and what are you doing here?" Magneto demanded.

"I'm not telling you anything," the alien woman said with true fear in her voice.

"Start talking or I'm liable to fry you myself," Storm said as electricity crackled through the air.

"I'm sorry, we meant you no harm," the alien woman seemed to pause and then looked up.

"Then explain, and I'll know if you're lying," Magneto said giving the floor a push.

"My name is Ta. I'm from the planet Alara. We are a peaceful people with a love for creativity and performing. We all are born with limited telepathy and each Alaran develops their mental abilities to advance their on creative or artistic side. I have the ability to make others see things or illusions.

"My family decided to fund a caravan through space to promote the performing arts. My father gathered our family and a team of several others to take our show on the road. My mate wanted to come along but my father wouldn't allow it at first, but I convinced him that with Ve's ability to see what needs to be done to make things work could come in handy. So I convinced my father to let him come along.

"During a jump through hyperspace, something hit us causing us to fall out of hyperspace and crash land on this planet. Only twenty of us had survived the crash and have been trying to survive on this island. We have been here for a little over five cycles and only a handful is left. When we felt your presence arrive on the planet, a small group of us went out in search of you. Two of us headed towards your camp when the alarms went off. I quickly used my telepathy and pulled out two images and make you see us as comrades while my companion used his telepathy to figure out the pattern for us to understand each other," the alien woman named Ta explained.

"Nice little story," Magneto said as he released her and let her lean against the wall on her own.

"I'm sorry, we meant you no harm," Ta said as she felt the massive pain through her whole body.

"You can't blame us, being fellow survivors yourself," Storm said starting to feel sorry for what they did and then suddenly froze.

"Ororo, what is it?" Eric asked at her sudden shift in mood.

"Erik, she's a telepath. She wasn't telling us her story to make peace. She feared her life lost and was stalling. She's sent a warning to her partner, the man impersonating Forge. And if he's the one that fixed our language, I bet you he's her mate, Ve. We have to find him. Where is he?" Storm said looking at Magneto.

"He's with Cain and Heather working on the, oh my God, the ship!" Magneto shouted as he used his powers to move as fast as he could dragging Ta along with him.

Storm called on her powers and flew as fast as she could, hoping they wouldn't be too late.

_**Outside the Hive Base**_

"You think you can make this baby fly?" Cain asked Forge.

"Of course he can, he's Forge," Heather said as she moved closer to where Forge was standing.

"Well, I've found this section here under the ship," Forge said pointing at the ship.

Heather and Cain watched as Forge explained to them what he had done. He had found a section under the ship that led directly into the power core of the ship. He had opened the panel and attached a strange cable into the panel with the other end held in his hand. The tip looked almost like a plug but sparked a little. He told them it was slightly live with what little juice was still in the ship and that they had to be careful. If they could find a power source strong enough they could feed it through the cable and directly into the power core and fully recharging it.

"Hey, if the other team comes back with that power source then we'll finally be able to get off this planet," Heather cheered.

"Yeah, I hope," Forge said and then paused frowning towards the Hive Base.

"Forge, what's wrong?" Cain asked.

"Sorry, we had hoped to go another route but I've been left no other choice," Forge said as he turned toward Heather.

"What are you talking about? Forge, what are you doing?" Heather asked as a third eye seemed to appear on his forehead and flared brightly coating her and the ship.

"Whoa," Cain began to say when suddenly Forge vanished and was replaced by an orange skinned man with no hair.

"First, I have to take care of you," the alien man said as he pulled a laser of sorts from his side holster and shot a large dart from it and into Cain's chest.

"Darn it," Cain swore at himself for choosing today to be the day he would give his armored costume a rest and air out in more casual attire.

"What are you doing?" Heather asked as weird electricity flowed around Cain.

"He's only unstoppable once set in motion. So I have taken away his ability to move. Now, I'm truly sorry but I don't have much time," the man said as he grabbed the cable and thrusted it into Heathers chest.

Heather screamed as a shock passed between her and the cable. Heather had no fear of being electrocuted because her powers were kicking in and would change her form to survive. Heather felt a sudden blast of pain and then fear as her body became a large body of pure energy. Instead of pulling free, Heather felt her energy body being pulled into the ship. Heather's mind went blank as she felt her body and her life slip away. Cain gasped as he saw Heather die and the ship suddenly flare into life.

"It was nice meeting you Cain, but I got to go," the alien man said ripping the cable free, closing the panel and dashing into the ship.

"Heather, no" Cain cried as he watched the ship lift off and head up into the atmosphere.

"Stop!" Magneto shouted as they came jetting out of the Hive.

"We're too late," Storm said as the ship was almost out of sight.

"Too far for me to grab but hit it with lightening!" Magneto commanded as he threw Ta hard to the ground.

Just as Storm began to summon her powers three beams shot out of the ship. One hit somewhere off in the distance while another hit Ta causing her to vanish before her eyes. Storm released her powers and sent a lightening storm towards the ship. Just before the storm hit, the ship flared and was gone from sight. The aliens had gotten away with their ship and their way home.

"Too late," Ororo swore.

"How could we have been so blind," Magneto spat as he used his power to rip the dart from Cain, giving him his freedom to move again.

"I'm sorry, he blind sided us. I couldn't move. All I could do was watch him kill Heather and escape," Cain cried as he explained what the alien had done to Heather to make the ship fly.

"We should have known they were imposters," Storm said and then turned suddenly at a sound coming from the trees.

They all turned around to see a figure dart out and collapse on the ground. Storm ran to the figure's side and knelt down. She turned over the body that was covered in mud and blood.

"It's Wingblade, and I can't find a pulse!" Storm exclaimed as she looked over at Magneto and Cain.

**Next: Issue #20 – Island of Surprises – Part Four**


	21. Island of Surprises Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #20 – Island of Surprises – Part Four**

_**Unknown Island – The Brotherhood**_

_**The Brotherhood's Hive Base**_

"What happened?" Storm asked again as Wingblade tried to sit up and drink some water.

"We were almost to our destination when we were attacked by an animal queen and her warriors," Wingblade said as she began to tell them about Animala and her attack.

"So this Animala was able to get the best of you four? Even with Sabretooth among you?" Magneto asked eyeing her carefully.

"We were doing fine till she attacked us with her giant blue beast and overtook half our team with her magic amulet," Wingblade said as she touched her temple to rub the ache away.

"What was this blue beast and amulet?" Cain asked as he tried to get his mind off the fact that two aliens had fooled them and took off with their ship while killing Lifeguard in the process.

"I believe Colossus said it was an old friend of his. Called him McCoy, but I have to question his taste in friends. I think Animala did to this McCoy what she did to Victor and Mammomax," Wingblade said as her three teammates suddenly took notice of her words.

"McCoy? Eric, you really think Henry is here?" Ororo asked with hope.

"It's possible. Now, N'Lea, I need you to tell me why McCoy was attacking you and what Animala did with her amulet to the others," Eric said wanting to get to the point.

"Her amulet began to glow and she was able to control Victor and Mammomax. Piotr came to the conclusion that she must be able to control animal based beings with her amulet," Wingblade said.

"That would explain why Henry was attacking you. He is past human and part beast," Storm said growing concern for her friends.

"Part beast? No he was a very large and very much all animal," Wingblade said.

"What? What are you talking about?" Storm asked.

"I believe she was getting to that. Please, continue and hurry," Eric said.

"As she called on the magic of the Amulet, she sunk her teeth into the necks of both Victor and Mammomax. As their wounds healed and her amulet glowed they began to transform. Victor became a large sabretooth tooth tiger and Mammomax became a giant elephant. She then mounted the elephant as Sabretooth attacked me and Beast went after Piotr," Wingblade said as she shifted and moved to get out of the bed.

"How did you get away?" Cain asked.

"What happened to Piotr?" Storm asked at the same time.

"I managed to take out Victor's legs and pierced his heart killing him with my arm blades. It saddened me but I had to do it. Piotr managed to knock out the giant blue beast but Animala commanded her warriors on us. Piotr wanted me to escape but I wouldn't do it.

Finally he grabbed me and threw me with all his might. I landed a great distance and realized I better come to you for help. I few caught up to me before I got her. They nearly killed me before I returned the favor. I thought I was done for till I stumbled back here as you found me," N'Lea finished her tale of battle and escape.

"I don't know about Colossus but I bet Creed isn't as at rest as you think he is," Cain smirked.

"I agree, we need to go now. Show Animala we aren't that easy to take down and get our comrades back," Magneto said moving towards the door.

"Maybe we can work out this misunderstanding with her. It does sound like she was only protecting her home from strangers," Storm said.

"There's no misunderstanding. She attacked and we're going to get what belongs to us back," Magneto said as Cain nodded in agreement pounding his fist, looking for an excuse to get some kind of payback.

"I agree. If you really think Creed is still alive then I will go back for him and Piotr," Wingblade said getting to her feet.

"Let's go then. I want our friends back as well," Storm said and then thought to herself, _I wonder if our friends is all you want from Animala._

Magneto waved his hands as items came swarming into the room. As Magneto put on his costume, Cain did the same with his. Wingblade smiled as she prepped herself for battle as Storm realized Eric might be right. This was not the time to be soft. Their friends were in danger and they had to do what they had to get them back safe and alive. She would do her best to keep this team from killing, but she would have to make sure she didn't jeopardize anyone on her team while do so. First priority was to find and save their comrades.

"Let's move," Magneto said as his Brotherhood went out in search Animala.

With Magneto and Storm's powers they were able to cover great distance. Storm carried Wingblade while Magneto used his powers to drag Juggernaut behind him. Storm knew that Animala would be expecting them. Eric had said as much and concluded that the only reason Wingblade made it back alive was with the full intent to bring us back to Animala. She had her pets and Piotr would be left alive as bait for us to come. If Animala wanted a war with them she didn't have a clue what and who she was about to face.

"Ororo, below you," Magneto warned as he used his powers to swat the stone tipped spears away from Storm.

"They're hiding in the trees. Let me blow them out," Storm smiled as her eyes turned white.

Thunder boomed in the air as Storm called upon her powers. Cain took Wingblade in his arms to free Storm up as she moved ahead of them and called forth the winds. A few trees were uprooted as hurricane-like winds blasted through the ground below. They could hear and see Animala's warriors as they were blown from their feet and their hiding places. After one final push, Storm released the grip on her powers causing her eyes to go normal and the winds to die. Storm turned moved back towards her comrades.

"I think that should buy us some calm travel time," Storm smiled as they pushed forward.

After a greater distance was covered and a few skirmishes were won they arrived at a temple like building made of stone, earth and wood. The four mutants landed on the ground in front of the temple. It didn't take any special powers or senses to know that they were completely surrounded from all sides. Magneto, standing in the middle instinctively placed his magnetic force field around them all to protect them from any initial attack. Erik glanced over at Ororo as he felt the hairs on his neck rise. He knew Storm's powers would be ready at a moments notice.

"Give us our friends unharmed and we will leave you in peace," Storm called out.

"Or don't and I will level you and your home," Magneto added as he felt Ororo's momentary glare on him.

"You dare to threaten Animala?" A green furred animal-like woman asked stepping out of opening high up on the temple.

"What is it you want? You attacked and took our friends and baited us back here?" Storm began to ask the animal queen.

"I want you to pay for your desecration of our home land. You eat my people so maybe we feast on yours," Animala smiled as she napped her fingers.

Two creatures walked out onto the ledge next to Animala carrying a man on a giant pole. Storm gasped at the site of Piotr tied up like a hog for a roast. He was in his flesh form and looked barely alive. If it wasn't for Erik's gentle tug she would have lashed out and attacked. She took in a deep breath and stared Animala deep in the eyes.

"We are taking our own back," Storm said starting to rise into the air.

"You are not welcomed," Animala growled.

"We aren't asking. Cain, now!" Magneto commanded as he stepped aside.

Juggernaut took in a deep breath and charged forward. Weapons and warriors bounced off the unstoppable force as Juggernaut made his way to the temple doors. With no effort at all Cain made it to the front doors and in a loud explosion continued his way right into the temple. They could hear creatures shouting and the temple shake as Juggernaut made himself known throughout Animala's home.

"You dare? If you want your friends then you shall have them," Animala said as she growled a few words causing the amulet around her neck to glow bright.

As Storm was about to take flight she saw three large figures come charging at them from the temple. Storm couldn't believe her eyes at the giant elephant, sabretooth tiger and blue beast. She didn't have to be psychic to know that the one in blue was her friend and fellow X-Man, Beast. She knew his eyes anywhere, even if they had hunger in them. She knew this was going to be hard but she had to stop them all.

"We have to get that amulet," Storm said.

"You two handle them, I'll get the amulet and stop Animala," Erik said as he called on his powers.

"Erik wait," Storm began to say but was too late. Erik had shot upwards and was already closing the gap between him and Animala.

"We can handle them," Wingblade said creating her arm blades.

"Yes, and do it without killing them this time. They are our comrades and not in control of their actions," Storm said calling forth all her powers.

Her eyes went white and she hovered in the air as the sky grew dark. With a mighty scream, Storm released her powers as Sabretooth leapt at them. In a blinding flash, a huge lightening bolt came down from the sky and struck the giant cat with the force of a Mac Truck. The smell of fur and flesh could be smelt in the air as Creed's body lay black and burned on the ground. Wingblade screamed at the sight.

"I thought you said no killing," Wingblade shouted as she turned on Storm.

"Trust me, he's not dead. Now, before he recovers, subdue the elephant without lethal force and I'll handle McCoy," Storm said as she flew at Beast with the power of the wind behind and in front of her.

"Hands off," Cain said as he came bursting out of the entryway at the warriors holding up Colossus.

The growled and turned on the unstoppable man but didn't have a chance. Cain smashed into them, grabbed Piotr and went right off the ledge. As they fell to the ground, Cain began to free Piotr from the pole. Just as they were about to impact with the ground, Cain tore the pole free and held Piotr close to him as he shifted so his back would slam into the ground first. The earth shook as the mutants made contact and sent dirt up into the air.

"Where am I?" Piotr asked as he began to move and noticed that he was lying on top of Cain in a giant crater.

"Look's like Cain got Piotr," Wingblade said as she leapt up onto the back of Mammomax.

"Now if I can just save Henry," Storm said as she moved to avoid a paw with sharp claws.

Storm didn't like fighting or seeing her old friend like this. She didn't want to hurt him but she knew it would be a matter of time before Animala grew tired and sent the rest of her warriors on them. She thought about hitting Beast with lightening, but she wasn't sure she could hold back her power or if he could survive it like Creed. As much as she hated to say it, she really needed Magneto to hurry and save the day.

"Give me the amulet and I might let you live," Magneto said as he approached Animala.

"Your powers are impressive," Animala said as she watched the floating man deflect her warrior's weapons or send them back with a wave of his hands.

"As is yours," Magneto said eyes the glowing amulet.

"I have ruled this planet of decades and I will not surrender to you or anyone," Animala said as she snapped her fingers and strange looking birds came darting at Magneto.

Without batting an eye, Erik waved his hand causing the side of the temple to rip out and fly upwards. Birds squawked as they were taken out by the stone barricades being sent at them causing them to never reach their prey. Magneto then flicked his wrist and ripped the ledge out from under Animala causing her to plummet off. With a few summersaults and twists, Animala managed to land on the ground safely on her feet. She glared up at her magnetic foe as she suddenly felt a tug at her neck. Magneto moved his hand as the Amulet snapped from around her neck and flew towards him.

"You will not have it," Animala growled as she grabbed and threw a rock with great speed and strength.

Erik flinched as the rock hit him in the head. The amulet dropped back to the earth as Magneto touched the bleeding cut on his forehead. Storm saw the battle and knew she had to destroy that amulet. As Beast pinned her to the ground she called on her powers the same time Erik shook off his shock and sent his powers at the amulet. Just as Animala called on her powers and touched the amulet, a magnetic and electric force hit the amulet at the same time. The amulet exploded in a million pieces sending out a pulse wave that sent every mutant, animal and creature to the ground.

Magneto got to his feet and saw Animala lying on the ground, unmoving with tiny pieces of the destroyed amulet all around her. He looked over and saw that Beast, Sabretooth and Mammomax were glowing as all Animala's warriors lost the glow in their eyes and seemed to sway in confusion. Storm and Wingblade stepped back from their attackers and moved near Magneto as Cain helped a weak Piotr stagger his way to the group of mutants. Magneto nodded as Storm saw that something was happening to their three animal comrades.

Mammomax grew a little larger in size but stayed in the form of a giant elephant. Sabretooth transformed form a giant cat to a more humanoid animal form. He never became fully human. It was like he got stuck half way in the transformation. He was now a yellow furred Bigfoot with sharp teeth and claws. Beast's transformation was the most noticeable. Not only did he transform back to normal but had kept transforming. Standing before them was Henry McCoy, strong and muscular but without any fur. He now looked like he did back in the old days when he first joined the X-Men.

"Ororo, Erik? What is going on? Last thing I remember is the explosion in space then waking up here at this temple. I met this green furred vixen and we began to get close when I felt a sharp bite to my neck and blacked out till now. Wait, am I normal again?" Henry began to ask in confusion as he stared at his hands made of flesh and not fur.

"Take it easy old friend. We'll explain everything later. Let's just get you home," Ororo said putting her arm around Henry McCoy.

"The amulet's gone," Erik said glaring at Storm and then glanced around, "so is Animala."

"Not sure what kind of hold she had on the others but it seems her warriors have vanished off into the woods," Cain said glancing around.

"Creed, are you okay?" Wingblade asked stepping up to the half cat, half man known as Sabretooth.

"Leave, alone," Creed growled as she slashed out at Wingblade and then vanished off into the jungle.

"We have to go after him," Cain said looking after where Creed had headed.

"No, leave him. We'll worry about him another day," Magneto said.

"But he tried to kill her," Cain pleaded.

"No, if he wanted to kill me I'd be dead," Wingblade said as he held the non-fatal wound with her hand and watched Creed leave her.

"What about Max?" Storm asked looking at the giant elephant.

"I'll be okay," Mammomax sighed.

"You can still talk?" Magneto asked glancing at the elephant.

"Yeah, seems the amulet kept me in this form but it also let me keep my ability to communicate with all creatures, even humans," Mammomax said as he looked at all of them.

"Where's Heather?" Piotr asked suddenly.

"Let's get back to base. Seems like we have a lot of catching up to do," Storm said with sadness in her voice.

"Yes, I agree. Seems the power source I felt was Animala's amulet and now, like the ship it's gone," Erik said as they all began their trek back to their home away from home.

_**Epilogue**_

_**Out in the Middle of the Ocean**_

"Hey look, something's coming our way. We're saved," a blue mutated looking creature shouted.

"You think it's possible after all these months of being stranded on this floating wreckage?" Another mutated looking creature said.

"I hope so, I'm getting a lil' tired of eating fish and drinking sea water," a man in a battle worn suit said as he looked out to sea.

Months ago the man had woken up to find him self lying on a very large chunk of wreckage, floating in the middle of what he assumed was the ocean. Before he could determine what had happened and how he got here, he was attacked by several mutated looking creatures that happened to be on the floater with him. He was ready for battle when two of the creatures helped defend him. It seemed that two of the creatures had retained their speech and a lot of their intelligence. They quickly took out the creatures leaving the three of them safe on the floating wreckage.

That is where the three of them remained, stuck in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight or rescue. Luckily the two mutates had powers they could still access. One could generate heat or cold from its body which came in handy to keep them cool during the day, warm at night and make sea water drinkable and cook the fish they caught. The second one could send out pulse waves that seemed attract the fish. The man then used his powers to zap them and catch them for food. It had been hard to keep sane all these months of floating out here but he had managed to keep it together and help him and his two best friends survive.

"It's moving pretty fast. What is it?" One of the mutates asked.

"Unless I've gone crazy, I think that's some kind of small land mass," the man chuckled out loud as the land mass was nearly upon them now.

"But it's moving towards us at great speed. How is that possible?" The other mutate asked as he ran to the very end of the floating wreckage they were on.

"I don't know but I wouldn't," the man began to say and then stopped.

The land mass was a few feet from them when an arm of sorts seemed to take shape and lash out.

"Pulse!" The man shouted as the arm grabbed the mutate at the front of the wreckage and pull it back into the land mass causing the mutate and it's screams to vanish from sight.

"What is that thing?" The last mutate asked the man.

"I don't know but we're about to find out," the man said as he reached down, grabbing two items and causing them to instantly charge up. He threw them at the land mass as he charged into battle with the mutate following right behind him.

**Next: Issue #21 – Space Pirates – Part One**

_**Authors Note: The New Brotherhood: Blood Ties #1 is now posted. **_


	22. Space Pirates Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #21 – Space Pirates – Part One**

_**Unknown Space**_

Emma stood staring at the mirror in her bedroom aboard the ship. When she had developed her secondary mutation to make her skin go from flesh to diamond hard she thought it was a great asset. Now, thanks to Apocalypse, that she was forever stuck in this form and having to sacrifice her mental abilities to even make her touchable, she hated it. Emma growled while she called forth her mental abilities and redirected them so that her diamond form became very sharp so she could use her psychic powers. Even her somewhat smooth wavy hair suddenly became jagged and sharp. She just wished Scott was here with her instead of this rag tag team of X-Men.

_**You're out there somewhere, Lorna, and I swear I won't rest till I find you. **_Emma smirked as she skimmed the mind of Scott's brother Alex, otherwise known as Havok.

It amazed her how strong his love was for the green hared woman and that not once did Scott enter his thoughts. She never really understood the relationship between the two brothers but she could relate to how easy it was to hate your own siblings. At least his don't actively try and kill him. She has had both sisters go the wrong side and come after her and even had to kill her sister Adrienne. So she thought, until she heard that Adrienne had resurfaced with a team called the Upstarts. Too bad they couldn't have vanished away like her brother had. He was off somewhere living his own quiet life with no contact with anyone, not even her and that was fine, she had other things to worry about.

_**They have to be out there somewhere. We have to find them. **_Emma heard Davis Cameron, the Slipstream mimic her own thoughts.

David too had a loved one he was in search of. His sister Heather was out there somewhere among the missing X-Men and Brotherhood. He was determined to find her and the others. He spent all his time with Tessa-2, the holographic knockoff of the X-Man Sage, tracking and looking for them. She urged him to take breaks and not push too hard. Most of the team thought she was going soft on him but she wasn't at all. The only reason she cared about the mutant was because he had the power to find the missing and the power to get them all home. Once that was done, she would have no further use for the man.

They hadn't picked up any traces of mutants but they were following the faint trail left behind by the Others. Every trail from the planet that Slipstream had picked up and tracked with the help of Tessa-2 all went in the same direction. Weather the X-Men that had made it to that planet were prisoners or escaping on their own, they were all going the same direction for now. They weren't sure the fates of anyone but those that had survived and made it back to Earth, including her currant teammate and former Brotherhood member, Avalanche.

Dominic Detros, along with Sage, Banshee and Blob had been with the group that had been lost in space. Upon returning to Earth, Blob had run off to fend for himself while Banshee was recuperating from severe injuries while Sage staid behind to help out at the X-Mansion sending her holographic programmed self, Tessa-2 to assist with the search team. Dominic had also chosen to join the search party even thought Emma wasn't quite sure what his motives were; to find the missing or impress his crush Sage. Just from their accounts, they just had what happened to their group before the battle and escape from the Others.

It seemed that along with them, Forge, Polaris and Mystique had also been on the ship that had escaped and been stranded in space. On their short journey, they had discovered an altered Dazzler whose memory had been lost and went by the name Spark. They had also discovered and rescued and unlocked the secrets of Xavier's lost students and the original X-Men's siblings, Darwin, Petra, Vulcan, Spirit, Océana and Sway. The last two had made it back to Earth and had demanded to join Emma's team to find their siblings and fellow teammates. This group was on the hunt for the rest of the missing until they landed on the planet of the Others.

There they battled this group of demon-like robots. Their only hope of escape was through a portal that had been created to send them all home. Unfortunately, Avalanche and the few others were the only ones to make it home. The portal had been destroyed leaving the rest of the X-Men trapped somewhere in space with the Others. Using Slipstream, Emma and her new group of X-Men had decided to go back and look for them. Before they left, two other unexpected mutants had showed up to join her band of X-Men. Longshot had happened to stumble upon them and insisted on joining them to find his true love, Dazzler. The other was a mutant named Wade Harkus who went by the nick name Magnus.

Emma was surprised and intrigued to learn he was son of the Scarlet Witch and the villain Electro. From what she got from his thoughts was that a possessed Agatha Harkness had spelled them to conceive a child. She then lost the child in a portal and then erased the memories of it all. Then, out of nowhere, Magnus shows up all grown up and fights along side his mother on Salem-X until he learned the truth and decided to come here to join Emma. Being Wanda's son meant that two of the missing mutants were his aunt, Polaris and his grandfather, Magneto. Wade joining made everyone on her team have something deeply common - the hunt for their loved ones.

They had successfully, with Slipstream and Longshot's powers, made it back to the planet of the Others. Once there, they had only discovered an empty planet and the abandoned X-Men spaceship. They had quickly gotten the ship working and in flight and had begun their search for the X-Men and Brotherhood. Even though the other X-Men were out there somewhere, they decided to go after the ones that had been on the planet of the Others. They at least had a trail of sorts and figured it would be a good start. After that, they could focus on the remaining missing mutants. Emma began to think of Scott when mental screams alerted her before the intercom did.

"Emma, several ships are coming out of hyperspace surrounding us from all sides. A message has just come though and I've decoded it. They are demanding our surrender or they open fire," Tessa-2 reported as Emma switched to safe form and ran to the bridge.

_**Planet Nnamuab**_

"Master Ecurb, Pack Leader Derf is here," a small pig-like creature said as he tried to cower downward before the giant pig-like figure.

"Let him in," Ecurb said as he kept his back to his servant.

Before the servant could open the door, a heavy force shoved him aside as a large figure burst through the door. The figure was muscular and wore golden armor that covered his whole body except for his head which was very dog-like in appearance. The creature had deep blue fur, small pointed ears and a mouth that bore very sharp teeth. The large sword attached to his belt loop swayed back and forth in synch with his tale as he moved forward with great strides. The pack leader known as Derf stopped inches from Ecrub's back.

"I do not like being kept waiting," Derf barked.

"A little cranky after failing to conquer Tolander once again?" Ecurb asked with a laughing snort as he turned around to face his guest.

"Do not insult me or I'll have you roasted you filthy swine. All would have gone as plan if it hadn't been for an unexpected development," Derf growled as he put his paw on the hilt of his sword.

"Don't get your tail in cat trap. That is the reason I've called you here. It seems some unexpected visitors have arrived in our galaxy and not only foiled your plans but have killed my son and eluded me. Follow me and all will be explained," Ecurb said with a snort as he motioned for the canine to follow him.

Derf snarled as he followed Ecurb into another room hidden behind a bookshelf. He didn't trust Nnamuab's biggest crime boss. It seemed the swine had his hooves in everything and yet never gets caught. He was sneaky and any who dared cross him rarely survived. He always gets what he wants and was untouchable. That is why when word got out that Ecurb's son had been killed, Derf had no choice but to pay a visit to the swine when he sent out a summons, if anything, to find out who had struck a blow to the Ecurb family for the first times in decades.

As they entered the room, Derf saw a table with five chairs. Two were filled while three were empty. With a gesture from the pig, he took his seat in one of the empty chairs as did Ecurb. He didn't know the green lizard man but he recognized the other man seated next to the scaly creature. The young, handsome man with long curly black hair and white and gold robes was the Prince of Tolander. He was surprised to see the King's son here in the same room with him after he had just tried to conquer his planet. Nodding at the man and the lizard, Derf looked back over at Ecurb.

"What is the meaning of all this?" Derf asked.

"Yes, I would like to know why you have called us all here," the Prince demanded.

"I have called you all here because we all share a common enemy, a common threat to our galaxy," Ecurb said with a snort.

"What threat isss that?" The lizard man asked.

"The threat of these X-Men. They have come from a far off place and are hell bent on taking over our galaxy," Ecurb said looking at each of them at the table.

"How do you know this?" The Prince asked.

"Because the first wave that came here killed my son and tried to flee my wrath. I would have had my revenge on them but the second wave arrived here and rescued them," Ecurb said getting to his feet.

"I heard about your ssson and feel bad asss I have lossst my own, but how doesss thisss affect usss?" The lizard man asked.

"Because this second wave is the same ones that kidnapped your son Slyth and killed him. They are also the same ones that raided your father's home which foiled your assassination attempt," Ecurb said looking at the Prince. "As well as preventing you from helping the Prince by defeating your attacking army," he finished looking at Derf who was not surprised that the filthy crime boss had known of his partnership with the Prince.

"And just how do you know so much about these invaders?" Derf asked in a low growl.

"Because, I hired the Hunter's Four to bring me my son's killers. Not only did they kill his whole team and leave Zekk for dead, they pulled a Hunter back to their side. Fortunately for us, this Hunter was one of them and through their bond Zekk had been able to learn a little about them. Enough for him to tack them back to here," Ecurb said as the deadly cyborg Hunter known as Zekk stepped out of the shadows and towards the remaining empty chair.

"You dare bring him here?" The Prince asked in anger as they all got to their feet.

"Yes, because we need him. He knows them and can track them. If you agree to work with him we can find and bring them all down before they do any more damage," Ecurb said looking at each of them.

"I agree. I mussst avenge my sssonsss' killersss too," the lizard man hissed.

"I'm in as well. To bring them in will look good in my father's eyes and I can use that to help claim his throne," the Prince smiled.

"Against my better judgment, I will help. They must pay for crossing my fleet," Derf barked in agreement.

"Good to hear your willingness. I assume our bargain still stands, Ecurb?" Zekk asked.

"As always," the crime boss smiled as Zekk raised his arms.

"Wait, what's going on here?" Derf asked not moving fast enough as Zekk shot wires into his neck and the Prince and lizards as well. As they began to be assimilated, Ecurb smiled form ear to ear.

_**Unknown Space**_

"What's the situation?" Frost asked as she rushed into the bridge.

"There are seven ships surrounding us. From what I gather they are space pirates. Initial scans show some very heavy firepower," Tessa-2 reported as Frost stared at the screen.

"I know the type. We can take them," Havok said thinking of his father and his band of Starjammers.

"There's something you haven't told us yet," Frost said staring at the holographic face of Sage.

"They have some very powerful shielding, but I believe there is a mutant signature on board. The shielding is too powerful for me to tell for sure but I would say I'm ninety-nine percent sure it's one of our own," Tessa-2 said as Emma and Alex looked at each other.

"Can you tell who it is?" Longshot asked.

"No, the shielding is too great for me to get a clear reading," Tessa-2 said.

"Well, who ever it is, it's obvious these pirates are holding them prisoner," Slipstream said hoping that maybe it could be his sister.

"They are giving their final warning before they attack," Tessa-2 said suddenly.

"We can take them," Magnus said will a small crackle of mystic electricity.

"I agree with the kid," Avalanche said with a hunger for force.

"No, we surrender and let them board. Once we find out where and who they've got then we break free," Frost said becoming sharp, swearing at the pirate's mental shields.

"As much as I hate to agree with her, I think we play it safe for now," Havok said looking at everyone, "but be ready."

"Tell them we surrender and lower shields," Frost told Tessa-2 as her commands were initiated.

"Where are Wade and Longshot go?" Sway asked looking around suddenly.

"Don't worry about them," Frost said nodding to Havok as she switched her mental powers and became safe again.

"Here they come," Océana said pointing at the monitor.

One of the ships moved close to their ship and a weird looking tube extended connection them both together. As their ship shook the space pirates began to board their ship. Havok motioned for Sway and Océana to stand behind them as the older seasoned X-Men took the lead. The door to the bridge blew open as five figures holding guns walked through. Emma couldn't make them out since they were all wearing full body armor made of what looked like pure white ice laced with gold. With a motion they were quickly taken off their ship and onto the pirate ship.

The ship wasn't anything fancy, a lot of white and gold covering the walls and machinery. They soon came to a room with very low lighting. Suddenly, a woman with golden skin, long braided hair that looked like gold and wearing what only looked like a cheap two-piece bathing suit stepped in front of them. She opened her hands and revealed several golden doubloons. In quick movements, the gold like coins became dust and soon sprinkled all over the X-Men. The golden woman laughed as the X-Men tried wiping the dust off themselves.

"Ch'léa, quit playing with our quests," a voice doing a very bad pirate imitation said from the shadows.

They all looked to see a man sitting in a large chair. The shadows covered him completely only showing his black boots, gloves, eye patch and hat all laced with gold. Emma and the others strain to see what the rest of the man's body looks like. As the man leaned forward, it appeared as if his skin was made of ice. As he stood up, the woman called Ch'léa was suddenly at his side. The man smiled as he tipped his hat and looked at the X-Men as Emma called out in pain.

"The dust prevents you from using your powers against me," the man of ice said smiling at the golden woman.

"Bobby?" Havok asked as he looked down at the sharpened form of Emma.

"Sorry, name's Captain Ice Beard. Take them to the brig and plunder their ship," Captain Ice Beard said stroking his ice-haired chin as the guards begin to force the X-Men out of the room.

**Next: Issue #22 – Space Pirates – Part Two**


	23. Space Pirates Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #22 – Space Pirates – Part Two**

_**Unknown Space - **_

_**Ice Beard's Ship**_

"Why wouldn't you let us take them out?" Avalanche asked, glaring at Frost, chained to the wall in a holding cell.

"Yeah, him and Havok alone could rip this ship apart," Slipstream added.

"It's too soon to play our cards," Havok said as he tugged the chains that connected his hand to the wall.

"What are you talking about?" Sway asked as she started to find this group of X-Men as uniquely interesting as the first group she had met and escaped with.

"I'm not sure how Bobby got the way he is, but that woman is not human and has some hold over him. When I went to scan their minds, it seemed like they were mingled together but a millisecond after I attempted I got burned by her powers," Frost said looking at everyone.

"From what we can determine, the gold protects her from harm and since Bobby is somehow intertwined with her he is also protected," Havok said glancing at Frost as she stood still in her diamond sharp form.

"I hate when you two converse mentally and leave the rest of us out," Slipstream said as Avalanche grumbled in agreement.

"From what I gathered, that woman senses we have powers but not what we can do," Frost said as she switched back to safe form.

"I still don't see why any of that matters. I say we rip the ship apart and get off of here," Avalanche grumbled.

"Because, it's not time. Longshot and Magnus are infiltrating the ship while Tessa-2 is keeping the ship secure. They've reported that the ship has no advanced tech and it's probably the gold that shields it form the outside scans. Also, they've no clue what we can do except that we have powers," Havok said looking at them all.

"Like Dominic said, what's stopping us then?" Slipstream said.

"We have to figure out how to get Bobby safely from that gold witch, and there is a treasure on this ship she is trying to protect that we need to find," Frost said.

"We wait on our two to give the word then we act. Until then, unless sour lives depend on it, we sit and wait," Havok said still feeling a little nervous about the plan.

"Only problem, the more time we waste here, the colder the Others and the missing X-Men's trail gets," Sway said wishing to find her friends.

"Don't worry, we'll find them. We all have loved one's we want to find," Frost said as he cringed at how much the young woman looked like Jean, her lover's dead wife.

Frost then looked over at Océana, the sister of Warren Worthington, the Angel. Frost didn't know what to make of the fish-like mutant. She had insisted on coming along, but has not said or done anything but keep to the background. She hasn't even mentioned anything about her long lost brother. Frost didn't know if she was very shy or just cold and motionless. Normally it wouldn't bother Emma, but the fact she couldn't read the mutant's mind or even get a read troubled her. When the gold was thrown on them she thought she saw something briefly, but then it was gone. She didn't have time now, but she would keep her eye out and deal with it later.

"Hey, guys, someone's coming," Slipstream said as they heard steps getting louder and closer.

"I say we make them all walk the plank," a voice said coming into the room.

"Not yet, there may be treasures yet to uncover," Captain Ice Beard said as he stepped up to the cell that held his six prisoners and smiled at Frost.

"Bobby, man, what happened to you? Why are you acting this way?" Havok asked his former teammate.

"Bobby? I don't know why you keep calling me that. I am Captain Ice Beard, the most feared pirate in the galaxy," Captain Ice Beard said glaring at the group.

"They are just trying to confuse you my love. You must be careful. I can see the same aura around them as I see around you," Ch'léa said as she seemed to suddenly appear by Ice Beard's side. Frost took note that the gold on Iceman as well as the gold on the X-Men seemed to glow upon her arrival.

"Don't worry, my luv, no one gets the best of ol' Ice Beard. My question is why we can't find anything of value on your ship and why a group who actually made it off the planet of the Others alive would be following them?" Ice Beard pondered as he stared at them all while stroking his icy beard.

"We're not telling you anything," Slipstream shouted as he grew tired of this all.

"I think it's time to show you who the boss is," Avalanche said as the ground began to shake despite Havok and Frost's objections.

"They never learn," Ch'léa said as the gold on Avalanche flared and he screamed out in pain stopping him from using his powers and from harming her or Ice Beard.

"Maybe I need to show you how serious I am," Captain Ice Beard said as he nodded at his gold companion.

Ice Beard raised his hands as ice began to form around them. Ch'léa waved her hands and suddenly had two gold doubloons in them. She threw them into the cell as Ice Beard released his powers and drove his ice right into them. Frost screamed as what happened next took place in a matter of seconds. The ice and the gold seemed to merge and then slammed into Slipstream. When it was over, Slipstream wasn't so much encased in ice as becoming a human iceman with a gold tint. They all turned toward the two pirates voicing their anger and preparing to call on their powers.

"Stop there or your friend dies. You see, diamond woman, you weren't the only one to get a taste. In our brief moment, I was able to pull from you that for some reason you value that man more than anyone here," Ch'léa smiled at Frost.

"Yes, you see, I have transformed your crew member into pure ice, down to the smallest atom. The only thing keeping him alive is Ch'léa's gold power. It's keeping his heart and other vial organs warm just enough to keep him alive," Ice Beard grinned.

"If you don't free him," Havok began to demand.

"You are in no place to make demand of the captain," one of the pirates behind Ice Beard and his maiden called out.

"Silence," Ch'léa glared behind her.

"He's right. You are to remember your place. You so much as look at me wrong and I have your friend shattered into a million pieces or simply have Ch'léa remove her gold magic causing his organs to freeze completely, instantly killing him," Captain Ice Beard said as Ch'léa smiled with power.

_**Elsewhere on the ship**_

"So, Magneto's your grandfather?" Longshot asked as they made their way down a corridor.

"Yes," Wade said as he continued to concentrate as his mystical electricity created a sphere around them that reflected and bent light away so they appeared invisible to the naked eye.

"Hard to believe you are so eager to find a man made of and capable of great power, destruction and evil," Longshot said glancing back over his shoulder.

"I wasn't raised in this world and have nothing personal to base such judgments on. I never knew my parentage and was raised by an old woman on another world where I grew up fighting demons to survive. I accidently landed on this Earth only to find it holds my place of origin and family," Wade said as Longshot came to a stop.

"I can see where you're coming from," Longshot said fully understanding what it's like to be the product of one world and thrown into another to find your place all over again. "Why not stay and get to know your mother better and your other family that are within closer reach?"

"It was a tough decision, but I've spent plenty of time with Wanda, my mother and can learn of the others and find them later. As for my Aunt and Grandfather, learning after the Demon Storm that they were missing in space with these X-Men, I knew this might be the only chance to ever meet them," Wade said as he watched Longshot run his hands along the side of the wall.

"Are you sure that's it and not an excuse to run away from something you don't know how to deal with?" Longshot asked as the mark on his eye flared and his hands stopped moving.

"I'm not running away from Wanda," Wade said growing defensive.

"Didn't say you were or recall insinuating as much," Longshot said with a smirk. "Secret panel, what luck, huh?"

Wade was left speechless as the wall in front of them slid sideways revealing a ladder going down. Longshot gave him a wink and leapt down the ladder. Wade released his powers as the grabbed the ladder and made his way down after the odd man with blond hair. He wasn't running away from anything, not Wanda or Illyana. The only reason he jumped on this mission was to find his long lost relatives. Once he found them he would return to them and Salem-X, there was no doubt about that. Or was there? Wade paused for a moment as his mind began to wonder.

"You coming?" Longshot asked in a loud whisper.

"Yes," Wade said as he shook his thoughts free and focused on the task at hand.

Wade came to the bottom of the ladder and stepped out and into the room behind him. The room was pitch black with no lights. Wade whispered a few words and electricity crackled around his hands creating light for them to see. The room was small and empty with one door on the far side. They weren't sure where they were but they knew they had to be somewhere towards the bottom of the ship and near the engine room since they could hear and feel the engine power. Longshot nodded as they headed for the door and with luck got it to slide open.

"I think we've found their treasure," Longshot said with wide eyes as they stepped into the room.

They both looked over at the only thing in the dark room. It was a make-shift treasure chest with antenna like things sticking out. From the seams and cracks of the chest it was obvious that something was glowing from inside. The two mutants started to walk over to the chest when Longshot held out his hand and brought them to a stop. Longshot moved his head back and forth as if he was trying to listen for something. Just before Wade could ask him what he was doing, a strange figure leapt from the shadows.

"Trespassers will die!" The figure shouted as a large spear-like object was hurled at them with great force and speed.

"Gninethgil Ekirts!" Wade shouted as instinct kicked in before Longshot could even react.

Electricity shot from both of Wade's hands and merged into one in front of him. Where the electricity had joined as one, it turned into a lightening bolt of sorts and projected outward with great force. With the same force and speed as the spear, the lightening bolt struck the projectile a mere two feet from them causing a loud explosion as the spear split in two right down the middle. Before the two halves hit the floor safely on either side of Longshot, Wade was already somersaulting through the air towards their attacker mumbling more chants. As Wade's feet hit the ground, more electricity erupted form his hands.

Wade had moved so fast that the attacker didn't have time to react. The electricity reached out and grabbed the figure, slamming him into the wall. Wade dropped his arms to his side as he continued to walk forward. Electricity crackled from his eyes and fingertips as blond electrical-like streaks dominated through his bright red hair. Wade stopped and looked up at the figure pinned securely to the wall by an electrical barrier and glared.

"Nice moves, Magnus. It seems you bare more than the man's name," Longshot said as he stepped up next to his teammate.

"What's in the box?" Magnus asked the figure that looked like a grey hobbit.

"She'll kill be if I talk, so go ahead and do it. Either way, I die and you'll never get the box open," the prisoner spat.

"Like that's ever stopped me before," Longshot said as he made his way over to the treasure chest and started to mess with the lock.

"Stay away from that!" The creature shouted, fighting the electrical prison.

Longshot shrugged as he finally got the lock to pop. Ignoring the protesting screams, Longshot opened the chest and instantly threw up his arms to shield his eyes from the bright glow coming from within. It was hard to see what was in the chest but it almost looked like there was an image of a woman with snake-like scaly skin. Longshot thought she looked familiar, but before he could get a good look through the light a force shoved him back as the chest closed and the room exploded in an inferno of fire.

_**Epilogue**_

"Captain, we've found him. Ice Beard's vessel is dead ahead. It appears they have stopped to plunder another ship. Scans show no life on the foreign vessel," a man with purple skin and a black eye patch over his right eye said to a figure sitting in the large chair in the center of the bridge.

"Greedy scallywag couldn't help himself. Well his mistake will cost him dearly," the Captain said as he eyed the screen of two ships in the middle of space.

"Still unable to scan Ice Beard's ship, but I just received a strange flux in power that leads me to believe he's still in possession of the chest," the one-eyed pirate reported with eagerness.

"Hail all ships. I will take back what is mine. Engage now!" The Captain shouted as he leapt to his feet as the bridge's lights beamed off his blue skin and silver, razor sharp wings.

"As you command, Captain Silver Wing," the pirate said as the pirate fleet dove at the two stationary ships.

**Next: Issue #23 – Space Pirates – Part Three & Alpha Flight: After the Storm – Part One**

_**Author's Note: Starting next month, all current titles will start featuring a back up story for a limited time. Here's a teaser list:**_

Salem-X #27 - Featuring Wiccan & the Young Avengers: Will see the formation of the team.

New Exiles # 26 - Featuring Black Axe & the Outsiders: Will tell the origin of the Time Quake World & the Outsiders.

Mutant Generation Force #24 - Featuring the Original New Mutants & the Secret New Mutants: Will tell Moira MacTaggert's secret mutant team's origin and the search for Daken.

Power Pack #23 - Featuring G-Force & the New Warriors: Will see an old foe coming back to hunt down anyone that has been a member of the New Warriors.

X-Calibur #23 - Featuring Lionheart(future) & Black Knight(present day) & the Avengers: Will see the government creating a new Avengers Initiative & sanctioned team.

Sensational X-Men #23 - Featuring Wolverine & Alpha Flight: Will see what happened to the Canadian Heroes after the Demon Storm.


	24. Space Pirates Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #23 – Space Pirates – Part Three**

_**Unknown Space - **_

_**Ice Beard's Ship**_

"What is going on?" Captain Ice Beard said as his ship began to shake.

"He's here," Ch'léa said with a wicked smile.

"Battle stations everyone. We will put an end to Captain Silver Wing once and for all," Captain Ice Beard said as he and his crew stormed out of the prisoner holding area.

"Great, now we're under attack. What now?" Avalanche asked with sarcasm.

"Time to cut loose," Frost said as she went from sharp to smooth form.

"Why now?" Sway asked.

"It was more than Silver Wing that shook this vessel. Wade and Longshot found their treasure but I feel fire and pain. Something happened down there," Frost started to say to them all.

"We need to find them and get this treasure and take out Ch'léa and rescue Bobby and save Davis," Havok said as he glanced at their teammate made of ice.

"First we need to get out of these chains," Sway said giving a tight tug at her bondages.

"I'm free, maybe I can find a way to get the rest of you out?" Océana said waving her webbed hands showing she was free of her prison chains.

"How did you get free?" Avalanche asked in surprise.

"I don't know. They weren't that tight and my scaly skin must have allowed me to slide right through them?" Océana suggested with a shrug.

"Yeah, must have," Frost said eyeing the fish-like mutant and then nodding over at Havok. "Alex."

Alex smiled and pointed his hands at the corner of the wall were they met the cell bars. Calling on his powers and focusing them through his arms he sent an energy blast causing the wall to explode. The explosion was enough to make a hole in the wall and bars allowing the chance for freedom. Frost barked orders as Océana ran through the hole. She knew they may not have a lot of time so politeness was not in order or her strong point anyway. Océana was on the other side of the prison cell and found a control panel. She quickly messed with the controls making the cell lights flicker as bolts of electricity flashed through the chains and then opening them up, releasing the prisoners.

"Freedom at last!" Avalanche shouted in excitement.

"How do we help Slipstream? Maybe defrost him somehow?" Sway asked as she walked over to the man made of ice.

"No, I thought about using my powers but he isn't encased in ice. He's become ice," Havok said.

"Are you sure he's still alive?" Océana asked.

"Yes, I can still pick up faint thought patterns and we are not leaving him behind," Frost said glancing at the sister of Warren. She had a bad feeling about the quiet girl gone active.

"But can we risk taking him with us?" Havok said glancing at the frozen X-Man.

"We'll have to leave him and come back," Frost said hating to leave their one key to getting back home.

"Maybe you won't have to," a voice said from a cell to their right.

"What are you talking about?" Frost asked as she stepped over and saw an old man with a graying black beard and a hook for a hand.

"I have a mystic ability. I can save your friend," the old pirate coughed.

"Why would you want to help us and what's in it for you?" Havok asked.

"Because, this is my ship and I need you to help me take it back," the old pirate smiled through missing teeth.

_**Elsewhere on the ship**_

Longshot had felt the heat before the fire erupted from the treasure box. He leapt backwards a split second before the explosion had hit but had no clue how his luck would save him this time from burning alive. He closed his eyes as he smelled hair singing and his skin burning and then landed back on his feat awaiting the inferno to consume him. He stood there for a second before he opened his eyes. He could feel heat but no fire. The only pain he felt was the sunburn upon his skin and nothing more. He opened his eyes to see why he wasn't being burned alive to discover his salvation.

"Talk about the luck," Longshot said with a smile as he saw Magnus standing behind him creating a small electrical sphere around them protecting them from the fire.

"I don't know how lucky since this room is blazing and not sure of the way out or how long I can keep this up. Unfortunately, I was unable to save the treasure box or it's guardian that I had pinned to the wall," Magnus said feeling a small twinge of guilt for not being able to grab hold of the alien. At least his screams hadn't lasted long.

"I have a feeling that chest is unharmed. We have to find a way to it and get it out of this room. I'm pretty sure it's the key to everything," Longshot said as he tried to get his baring and see where the chest was located.

"I was in contact briefly with Frost before the explosion. Something's happened to Slipstream. If they're not on their way here now we need to get out of here and back to them," Magnus said as he glanced around.

He knew he could get them out of here, but he wasn't sure if he could get the treasure on top of that. He couldn't risk losing the protective shield and frying the both of them while trying to channel another spell to get the chest. He decided that if the chest was safe, it could wait till they got out of the room. Longshot luckily agreed and he used his powers to move the sphere with them in it until they happened to exit the room and enter the room with the ladder going up. Magnus glanced over to Longshot who was deep in thought.

"The walls seem to hold the fire from damaging the rest of the ship, but unfortunately the fire as reached into this room. We have no choice but to go up," Longshot said.

"That might be a tad tricky," Magnus said as he began to chant a spell.

The electrical sphere around the, shifted a little and shrunk closer to the both of them. With luck, he got the sphere to start floating upwards carrying the two of them up the ladder shaft and into the corridor above. Magnus looked down relieved to see that the small fire was remaining below and not climbing up. Magnus looked around and then released his powers, sighing in exhaustion. He sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall right next to the ladder. He could feel the heat below as he looked up at his teammate.

"How are your burns?" Magnus asked noticing the very red mutant.

"Slightly painful, but luckily it's nothing more than a bad sunburn," Longshot said as he looked back and forth as alarms starting going off through out the ship.

"You think the fire's set off the alarms?" Magnus said as he reluctantly got back to his feet.

"I don't think so. The ships shacking a bit and I'm likely to guess we're under attack," Longshot said as a small group of the ship's crewmen came running towards them.

Magnus prepared to meet their attackers when they flew right passed them without as much as a glance. Magnus was about to question Longshot why they had been passed on by when a group of purple skinned looking pirates with fake silver wings on their backs came around the corner and blasting their laser guns. Longshot was right; the ship was being attacked by other pirates. Magnus called on his powers as Longshot was already leaping through the air and throwing knives at the attackers.

"Lacirtcele Evaw!" Magnus shouted as he released his powers.

Electricity flew from his hands swirled around in front of him. Then, with a slight push, a wave of electrical energy shot forward with great speed and force down the corridor. Longshot jumped out of the path as it hit the attacking pirates, shocking them and sending them flying backwards about twenty feet. They all hit the ground, twitching and down for the moment. Longshot made his way back to Magnus and then glanced down the ladder.

"We need to get the chest and move before we get caught in the crossfire again," Longshot said.

"Oaky, let me see if I can get it. Wish me luck," Magnus said with a smile as he called on his powers and concentrated on the layout of the rooms below.

"Rewop Ekat Dloh y Reviled Eht Tsehc To Em!" Magnus said as he released his powers.

Longshot watched in amazement at the potential power and threat this descendent of Magneto weld. Electricity crackled all around the mystic mutant as electricity flared from his eyes and blond electric streaks flared in his red hair. Electricity then flowed out of his body and went straight down the ladder shoot. Magnus kept his eyes closed as he concentrated on the spell and the layout of the rooms below. He suddenly felt his power grab onto something and allowed it to pull back towards him. After a few minutes, Longshot cheered as he saw the chest rise out of the ground and placed down next to them, unharmed by electricity of fire.

"Great work, friend," Longshot said as Magnus powered down and swayed a bit.

"Now that we have it, let's go find the others," Longshot said as he touched the chest but decided it was unwise to open it again, for now.

"You won't be going anywhere. That treasure is mine and you will give it to me now," a voice shouted down the corridor.

Magnus and Longshot both looked over to see several purple skinned pirates stepping over their fallen comrades and marching towards them with guns raised. Magnus was ready to call on his powers when another figure stepped around the corner right behind them. It was a tall man with an off beat pirate's outfit that looked very exaggerated. It would have made a normal person laugh except that this obvious leader of the pirates had a few features that took grave pause. His skin was blue with glowing gold eyes. He also had large metallic silver wings that extend from his back. He looked like death and it was coming for them. Magnus prepared his magic as he noticed Longshot just standing there staring.

"Warren?" Longshot asked as Captain Silver Wing and his crew charged at them.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

_**After the Storm – Part One**_

_**In Route to Canada**_

James MacDonald, the Alphan known as Protector sat back as he stared at the jam packed ship full of Alpha members, some from Team Alpha, some from the New Alpha Flight, some just associated to the Flight and one strange face. Twelve of them total, counting him. They had come from a great battle and were thankful that they had all come out of this alive. James reflected as he looked at each person in the ship. It was hard to believe what had all just happened, everything from the Horseman of Hell and the beam of fire to the final battle with Semaj and the Demon Storm over New York.

It had all started when the beam of fire had destroyed his and Team Alpha's headquarters. The fire had disintegrated everything, there wasn't anything left. James had been grateful for Stark for giving him that base, but he knew that he would never be able to ask Tony for a favor like that again. Stark had other things to worry about in the States and whatever James decided to do or create with a new team, he'd have to do it on his own. That is, if there is a team or anything to do when they got back.

All of Team Alpha had survived the beam and headed to Department H to confront Alpha Flight and their boss, Director X. It seemed that the Director was not only responsible for Rebound betraying them and destroying their base, but had been a Horseman of Hell named Zorak who had orchestrated a master plan to help bring about the Demon Storm and it's master, Semaj. He and Team Alpha had arrived just in time to not only see the Horseman battle with Alpha Flight but also the destruction of Department H and the their headquarters.

Guardian, his clone, had been revealed as a half demon and half robot named General Cybok. He had used the Dark Beast in the disguise of Doc Brown to experiment on and turn twelve members and associates of the Flight Programs into a demon form of the Zodiac. Luckily Alpha Flight, with the help of Nemesis' sword transformed the Zodiac members back to normal, but weather they survived was yet to be seen. Also, they had managed to help take down General Cybok and with his James' teams help, kill Zorak the Horseman and Director X of Department H.

Even with this great victory came a price. Department H had been totally destroyed and caved in on itself. Even though it had been his wish to see that place go down, he hadn't wanted to see it go down like it had. When the place was destroyed many people, staff and students had been inside, including Diamond Lil and the students in training known as Beta Flight, Madam Q and her task force Omega Flight, as well as Madam B and her younger kids and the Alphan known as Major Mapleleaf. He had no idea how many had survived or what the casualty count was for they had to race to New York for the final battle.

Before Zorak had died, he had sent Aurora off to be sacrificed in a ritual to open the gates for Semaj and the Storm. So James and Heather Hudson had gathered what members of both their teams that they could and had raced off to New York to save Aurora and the world. They had left old First Flight friends Groundhog and Stitch with Radius, Snowbird and Feedback to organize the search and rescue of Department H. They had tried reaching them on their way back here but had not been able to get a word from them yet. He just hoped it wouldn't be grave and that there would be many survivors. He felt a little guilty for going but they had no choice but to go to New York.

When they arrived in New York at the Statue of Liberty everything happened too fast. First, Aurora and seven others had died before their eyes causing the gates to open and the Demon Storm to pour through and pave the way for Semaj to enter their world. They hadn't had time to mourn Aurora because they were engaged by the demons immediately. Now, sitting on the ship it had been easier to mourn the loss of their friend. Luckily Strange had managed to Kill Semaj, but at the sacrifice of X-Calibur. He felt bad for the loss of that team, but he felt glad that, for now, Aurora remained the last casualty of their team. Of course they would know more once they returned to home to Canada.

Even if everyone on this ship was heading home alive, they had suffered some great blows themselves. Heather smiled briefly as she squeezed his hand as she sat next to him. Thanks to a blast form Semaj, Heather, Kara and he had been stripped of their power suits. If he wanted to start a team again, he had no idea how he was going to get a new suit. He wasn't one for just sitting on the sidelines and instructing the others going into battle. The rest of the team, besides being slightly beat up had come out just fine except for Switch. She had tried to swap powers with Semaj and ended up being fried by the demon's grand power. She was alive and stable, but seemed to be in a coma of sorts. Earthmover has tried various ricks from his pouch as well as the other heroes, like Strange before they left but nothing seemed to wake her. They offered to try more, but he thought it would be best to bring her home and to her parents.

Also, on their trip back they had obtained three additional passengers. At the battle, the fight had been joined by his old friend Walter Langkowski, the Alphan known as Sasquatch. It appeared that when he had quit Team Alpha he ended up joining a group calling themselves the Wild Pack. By coincidence, the team was being led by non other than his old teammate, Madison Jeffries who had gone by the name Predator, then Cyber-Worm and now back to his old alias as Box. It seemed that their team had suffered a lot because of the Storm also.

Their whole city, Bergsville, Pennsylvania had been destroyed in a beam of fire. It had killed almost everyone except what few made it out and the Wild Pack. Madison had sent his wife and new daughter to her parents while the team went on one last mission to save team member Asp and the world. **See Wild Pack Series **Unfortunately, Asp had been one of the ones that died in the sacrifice, but Wild Pack did what they could to help stop the Demon Storm and help the bystanders in the city.

Before James and his crew were ready to head back to Canada, Madison had approached him. Black Cat, Black Crow and Dragoness were relocating back to New York to go their own ways. That left him, Sasquatch and their young member going by the name Predator. Madison and James quickly caught each other up and realized that a lot had happened between their two teams. Madison took a deep sigh as he took in what had happened to the Alpha Squads while he was gone and asked what he had come to ask of James.

Madison had talked to his wife and knew his family was safe and unharmed. Even though he had to get back to his family, he wanted to ride back with James and help out in any way he could with the clean up and rescue of those involved in the fall of Department H. James had no hard feelings and knew everyone would appreciate the help and his company. After that, Madison would immediately head off to be with his family. James knew the man had good intentions, but he also knew that the man still cared for Lillian and wanted to make sure she was okay. James gladly welcomed along, but he knew there was more.

Despite the bad falling out between James and Walter, Madison wanted him to invite Walter to go back with them. There was nothing in New York for Walter and his new life had been destroyed in the beam of fire. He had nowhere to go and was too proud to ask James to come back to Alpha Flight. Also, Walter had been seriously injured as Sasquatch and was limping around in his normal form waiting for enough time to go by for his other self to heal. Right now he needed his only family he's ever known. James sighed and with the help of Heather and Eugene, they had convinced Walter that they needed him and that he had to go back with them.

With both former Alphans returning to Canada with them James was more than ready to head out, but Madison had one more favor and passenger to bring along. The eighteen year-old member of Wild Pack had lost all his family in the destruction of Bergsville and had no other family and nowhere to go. Until he could decide what to do, Madison had taken the boy under his wing. James had no problem letting the boy come along and said he would help Madison in any way that he could with the boy. Madison was grateful, for he wasn't sure if the best interest of the boy lay with him and his family or training with James and Alpha Flight. Time would tell and for now they were all together and heading back to Canada.

"You think everyone made it out okay?" Heather asked looking over at her former husband and teammate.

"We can only hope. Once we get there we find out what's happened and then do what we can to assist," James said looking back at her.

"Where do we go from here? Do we try and move on with our lives or do we rebuild Department H and the team?" Heather asked.

"I don't know, Heather, but I do know that there will be no more Department H. If Canada is still in need of heroes then we take it from there after we take care of what happened at Department H and aid our friends and comrades," James said thinking about what was yet to come.

"What about our suits and our powers?" Heather asked.

"I'm hoping we can work something out with Groundhog and Box," James smiled.

"Yeah, I kind of was thinking about that too," Heather said.

"I guess there is something else I was wondering about after all this Demon Storm stuff," James began to say as he took heather's hand.

"What's that?" Heather asked glancing at James.

Before James could ask, he was interrupted by a loud bang that followed with the ship violently rocking back and forth. James jumped to his feet as soon as the ship had stabilized and ran towards Puck and Rebound, who were piloting the ship.

"What's going on?" James asked as Heather came up right behind him.

"He had just crossed the Canadian border and then out of nowhere something dropped from the sky and nailed the front of the ship," Puck said glancing up at his friend as he began shifting the controls.

"What was it?" Heather asked.

"I don't know, but what ever it was it nearly took us out of flight," Rebound answered.

"Maybe we should go and see what it was," James recommended.

"Already on it, boss. I've turned us around and have locked on to the object," Puck said as he soon landed the ship.

Not knowing what to expect, James took a small group out of the ship. James, Heather, Madison, Eugene and Chuck made their way into the wooded wilderness they had landed in to find the object that they had collided with. Madison used his visor and quickly found what they were looking for. It was a man, twisted and torn up lying on the ground, blood everywhere. Normally, James would be sickened by the sight and go into a panic at hitting a human being, but this hairy man before them was no normal man.

"Oh, my, God. Is that…Logan?" Heather screamed as she ran to hairy mutant's side.

**Next: Issue #24 – Space Pirates – Part Four & Alpha Flight: After the Storm – Part Two**


	25. Space Pirates Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #24 – Space Pirates – Part Four**

_**Unknown Space - **_

_**Ice Beard's Ship**_

"He's telling the truth," Emma said as she switched forms to confirm the old pirates claim.

Emma and her unique band of X-Men had been captured by Captain Ice Beard, a space pirate that also happened to be one of their lost X-Men, Iceman. Letting them get captured was part of the plan to allow Magnus and Longshot to go in search of this treasure Ice Beard held dear. As they contemplated their next move, several things happened all at once. Ice Beard and his partner Ch'léa had transformed Slipstream into a living ice sculpture, then they take off as it appears the ship has been placed under attack by another pirate while Frost had received a psychic flash from Longshot that they had found the treasure but then turned to an image of consumed fire. Now was the time for them to act.

Surprisingly, Océana had been the key factor in their escape. There was a lot Emma didn't know about these unknown siblings of the original X-Men, but there was something about Warren's fish-like sister that bothered Frost. It wasn't the fact she couldn't read her mind, but that there was something she was hiding and she couldn't unlock it. As Emma tried to focus on that and everything going on around them, an old pirate in another cell revealed himself to be the captain of this ship and said he had the power to help Slipstream if they helped him get his ship back. With a quick scan, Emma had confirmed his words from his thoughts.

"I would like to know how Bobby became a pirate and took your ship," Havok said as he helped the newly freed pirate to his feet.

"Before that, I want to know how you can help our friend here," Emma said as she nodded towards the frozen X-Man.

"Believe it or not, Captain Ko'vak is a man of his word," the old pirate grinned with his toothless smile.

The pirate walked over to Slipstream and pulled his glove off his left hand with his hook. His hand looked old and discolored. Placing his fingertips on the icy X-Man's forehead he whispered, "let what was done be undone." Captain Ko'vak slowly tugged his glove back on as Slipstream began to glow. The X-Men watched in awe as it appeared that pieces of ice were being pealed right off of Slipstream and vanished in an evaporation of gold dust. IN a matter of moments, Slipstream was no longer a man of ice but living, breathing flesh.

"What?" Slipstream asked in a whisper as he stared at his hands and then at everyone around him.

"No time for speedy explanations," Emma said as she mentally caught the X-Man up to speed and turned to face the old pirate. "Impressive."

"Really, Emma," Havok glared as he helped Davis catch his bearings. It seemed being frozen, thawed and mentally infused with knowledge had overwhelmed the X-Man's senses.

"How are you able to do that?" Sway asked as she took over for Havok.

"Me mother died when I was young leaving me and me sister alone in the care of me father. He was a struggling and very lonely space pirate. Years after me mother died he stumbled upon a quest for a treasure that would give great rewards," Captain Ko'vak. Began his tale as Emma used her powers to take over and share the story mentally instantly to save time they didn't have to waste.

"When he found the treasure," the narrative instantly flooded their minds, "and brought the chest aboard our ship I remember him mumbling something about a warning about being greedy. He dismissed it and took it into his private cabin. Me sister and I followed and watched in secret as he opened it in private away from what was left of his small crew.

"When the chest was opened a spirit rose from the box. The ghost offered a reward for its rescue and release. My father made his wish. He said that he wanted his family to create great wealth and to undue the damage and be with his wife again. The ghost began to protest his greed but his father said that as his reward it must grant his words true and as his promise to free the ghost, he said that the ghost was free to go but its nature and power would be bound to the chest and its master.

"The ghost angry and feeling compelled to honor me father and it being torn apart invoked a great curse. I'll never forget the words of the ghost. _I will honor and grant your words true. Your family will create great wealth and make damages undone._

"My father swore as the wall separating them and us blew away and he saw me and me sister glowing. The spirit explained how he made me and me sister, his family, have the ability to create wealth and undue damage. My father said it was unfair but gasped at what happened next. You see, the ghost cursed the literal context of me father's words.

"Me sister could create coins of gold in mid air and I could touch things and fix them. As for the rest of the reward turned curse was invoked, me father began glow as the ghost slowly faded. It turned out that the actual nature of the ghost was to be trapped in the chest. So the ghost merged that with the words of me father. In order to be free, a body had to be trapped in the chest. So the ghost was being set free as me father took its placed in the chest.

"The other fall back was that the ghost's powers were bound to the chest. Without any powers, the ghost faded, free into the great beyond. Thinking that we were now the master of the chest we could use the power to free our father, we were surprised when the chest vanished. Me father had stated he wanted to be with his wife and so we believe that was where the chest went. When me mother died, our father had shot her body out in space so we had no idea where her body was now.

"We spent years searching for her while growing rich and pirating the galaxy until we ran into a band of space pirates. The battle was grave and when I woke from a blow, I discovered myself floating in space in me ship and me sister was gone. I used me powers to fix the ship and have been searching for me family ever since. That was until not long ago when Captain Ice Beard attacked me ship, took it over and threw me in the cell here. Ya'll and Ice Beard coming down here are the first I've seen of anyone since being placed in here, besides the guard that brings me meals."

"Sorry to hear about your family," Sway said as recovered from the mental upload.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Frost asked inside Havok's head.

"That the treasure Longshot and Magnus found is the same thing from our Captain's tale?" Havok thought back as Emma nodded.

"You saved our friend so we will take care of Captain Ice Beard and give you your ship back," Emma said out loud but mentally noted that she couldn't promise giving up the treasure. If it was the same from the story, it might be a key to finding the lost X-Men and getting home.

"What do you know of the woman with Ice Beard?" Havok asked.

"Nothing. Her being down here with you was the first I'd known of her, and even then I was unable to see her from being chained here in my cell," Captain Ko'vak said as he stretched his limbs.

"Well, she seems to be problem behind all this," Avalanche chimed in, wanting to cause damage.

"She will be dealt with, along with the others. Once I've me ship back I can continue me search for me sister," Captain Ko'vak said with a growl.

"We better get moving. Sounds like things are getting underway," Havok said as the ship shook from the attack of the other space pirates.

"So, what was your sister's name?" Sway asked as the X-Men began to discuss their plan and move out.

"Her name was Ch'léa," Captain Ko'vak said as everyone suddenly stopped and spun around to stare at him.

_**Elsewhere on the ship**_

"Why are you standing there?" Magnus asked as he cast an electrical shield to protect them both from the invading blasts.

"The man in the silver wings and blue skin is the X-Man known as Angel. From the looks of him, he appears like more of his Archangel persona. What I don't understand is why he's sporting a pirate's outfit and leading this band of purple pirates," Longshot said.

"If he's one of the good guys then my guess is he's being mind controlled by something or someone," Magnus said as he glanced at the blue skinned man heading their way.

"Yeah, and I bet it's all tied to what's in this chest," Longshot said as he stood protective over the wooden box.

"Hand over the treasure. I will not ask again," Captain Silver Wing said as his wings made a jerking motion that sent a series of feather blades at the two X-Men.

Magnus reacts instinctively sending out a wave of electricity. To his surprise, his powers don't stop all the blades. A few of the feather blades slice through the electricity and head straight for Magnus and Longshot. With great agility and luck, Longshot dances around avoiding the blades with ease. Longshot lands back on the ground with a smile and quickly frowns when he sees his partner was not so lucky. Lying on the ground is Magnus with two blades stuck in his body, one in his leg and the other in his side. Longshot moves to his side.

"Magnus, are you okay?" Longshot asks.

"Yeah, the wounds aren't fatal, but I can't seem to move," Magnus mumbled.

"It's a side affect of the blades. They are laced with a chemical that cause temporary paralysis. We need to get out of here with the chest," Longshot said with urgency.

"You're not going anywhere. That is my chest and you will die for trying to steel from me," Captain Ice Beard said as he and his warriors come out of a corridor behind them.

"Finally, you come to face me as I kill you and take back what is mine," Captain Silver Wing proclaims at the appearance of the ice pirate.

"Silver Wing, you're threats mean nothing. The chest will remain with me long after I have you walking the plank," Captain Ice Beard responds.

"My, my, here we are again. Fighting over me," Ch'léa laughs as she steps out from behind Captain Ice Beard.

"Ch'léa, my love, step away from that scully wag and come stand by my side," Captain Silver Wing says as he commands his men to charge forward.

"You'll never touch her or the treasure again," Captain Ice Beard shouts as he commands his men to charge.

"I think this is about to get far more interesting," Longshot laughs as he watches the two parties charge at them.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

_**After the Storm – Part Two**_

_**Canadian Wilderness**_

"Everyone stand aside. I'll try and heal him," Chuck Moss, the Alphan known as Earthmover said.

"No need. The man doesn't need any help. He'll be fine," Madison Jeffries, the former Alphan and Wild Pack member said with a chuckle.

"What are you talking about? We hit him with a plane and what's left of him is lying in his own blood and you don't want me to do anything?" Earthmover asked in shock.

"Don't sweat it, kid. This here is the Wolverine. Takes more than a collision with a jet to take him out," Eugene Judd, the Alphan called Puck smirked.

"How's he doing, Heather?" James MacDonald Hudson, the Alphan known both as the Guardian and Protector asked as he looked over at the woman holding the badly injured mutant in her arms.

"He looks worse than it is. His healing factor has all but healed him. Should be coming around soon," Heather Hudson, the Alphan known as Vindicator responded.

"Heather, am I dreaming? Did I make it back to Earth?" James Howlett, the X-Man called Logan and Wolverine asked as he began to regain consciousness.

"Back on Earth? I had heard the X-Men had gone off on a mission but never knew what happened," Heather said as Logan sat up and cracked his neck, stretching out his limbs.

"Charles and a large group of us X-Men had raced off into space to team up with Magneto and his Brotherhood in a battle against Apocalypse. It took place on a secret base of Magneto's. Don't remember much of the battle, but it didn't last long as the whole place blew up," Logan said as he got to his feet and glanced at Heather and then over to James.

"What happened to the X-Men? Did you all land out here?" James Hudson asked as he glanced around.

"I don't know what happened to everyone or if any of them are still alive," Logan said.

"What are you talking about? What happened?" Puck asked.

"I can't tell you a whole lot. Everything went black after the explosion. When I woke up I found myself in a strange jungle. I didn't know where I was but my nose was telling me it wasn't Earth or any place I'd been before. As I got up my healing factor had pretty much kicked in and taken care of me," Logan said.

"What of the X-Men?" Heather asked in fear of the answer.

"Like I said, not sure what happened to all of them or if they survived. I woke up and found myself in a strange jungle. I could smell what seemed like an ocean in one direction with what I thought was some familiar scents. I was going to investigate when I heard a moan.

"I followed my ears and nose to a small pile of wreckage. As I sliced and moved away the debris I found Xavier, Cyclops and Beast underneath. They were alive but pretty banged up but nothing serious. I dug them out and placed safely away from the wreckage when McCoy's eyes popped open.

"It was like he had heard something and dashed off into the jungle. I could almost feel something tugging at me to follow after him but I got interrupted when a bunch of strange alien creatures came rushing us. I extended my claws and prepared to attack when the creatures zapped me with a strange white light.

"When I came to, once again, I found myself chained and powerless along with Xavier and Summers in some kind of hive looking base. We were being held prisoner by these alien creatures and they had means to render us powerless and had what appeared to be a portal of some kind.

"To make a long story short, the three of us made our escape and went through the portal. It seemed like eternity, but soon I popped out high in the sky falling with great force. I looked around and saw I was alone and couldn't detect the others anywhere. My best guess is that we all went in together but didn't come out together. I didn't have a lot of time to contemplate anything when I got hit by something big and hard," Logan said as he gave them the cliff notes version of his adventure.

"That would have been us. Sorry about that," Puck grinned.

"Never could fly, dwarf," Logan grumbled.

"Whatever," Puck spat as he added a friendly gesture.

"I don't know what we can do to help, but we got our hands full back home," James Hudson said stepping between the two shorter team members.

"James is right. I feel for Xavier and the rest, but Alpha Flight got hit pretty hard with the Demon Storm," Heather added.

"Demon Storm? What did I miss?" Logan asked as he managed to pull a cigar out from somewhere and light it up.

"It was a huge demon invasion that hit hard with lots of casualties and even whole cities destroyed. The most happened mainly in New York where the main battle was fought. It took a bunch of us but in the end Doctor Strange had killed Semaj with the sacrifice of X-Calibur," Madison said as they filled Logan in on the whole Demon Storm.

"The elf, Kitty, even poor Jeanie," Logan swore at the loss of some dear old friends.

"Yeah, there's a lot to rebuild. We took off from New York since Iron Man and Cap and the other heroes were handling the clean up pretty well," Puck said.

"We got hit pretty hard before we went off to New York. That's why we need to get back and see how bad the battle at Department H was and do what we can," Heather said with a sigh.

"From what I heard from Iron Man on our way back home, Sam has assured him that the mansion is going to be rebuilt and that all the staff and students were being kept safe at a safe house of Cable's till they can move them all back in. You can always head that way," James Hudson said as he found himself not liking the attention Heather was giving their hairy friend.

"No, Sam's a good kid and he can handle everything there on his own. Since you're needing to get back I don't mind hitching a ride and lending a hand. Good to see the ol' place again," Logan smiled as he flicked his cigar off to the side and headed towards the ship with Heather.

"Always makes me nervous when he's around," Puck said as they all began to follow Logan and Heather.

"You and me both," James said as he glared after the hairy mutant.

_**Epilogue**_

"You know, master, if you wanted to finish off Alpha Flight, now would be the best time," a man dressed in a butler's uniform said as he approached a man sitting in a chair watching a screen with a destroyed Department H on it.

"Oh, Jeeves, as correct as you might be, the time isn't quite right yet," the man in the chair responded.

"Master Niles, they are weak and unprepared. How can it not be right?" Jeeves asked as he sat down a beverage tray next to his master.

"It would be too easy. I want what's left to regroup and build their hopes and strengths up so it will be that much more satisfying when I swoop in and end it all. Vengeance will then be mine. Oh and Jeeves, don't call me Niles. The name's Weapon Superior," the man in the chair said as he cackles with laughter and raises his drink in salute to the ruin image before him.

**Next: Issue #25 – Space Pirates – Part Five & Alpha Flight: After the Storm – Part Three**


	26. Space Pirates Part Five

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #25 – Space Pirates – Part Five**

_**Unknown Space - **_

_**Ice Beard's Ship**_

"Prepare to die," Captain Ice Beard said as he formed a sword made of ice in each hand.

"Your words mean nothing," captain Silver Wing responded back as his wings extracted out, ready to do damage.

"Yes, my boys, fight for my love. The last one standing will have thy treasure and me heart," Ch'léa smiled as the two pirates and their crew engaged in battle.

"How are you doing?" Longshot asked as Magnus sat their staring at him.

"Well, thanks to the bird man's feather blades, I'm still paralyzed," Magnus swore as he tried to think.

"The key lies in this chest. I can get it opened but there seems to be a magical safeguard of sorts that prevents it from being accessed," Longshot said as he dragged Magnus and the chest into the hole in the wall. They couldn't go down because of the fire below but at least they were out of sight and the line of battle for now.

"I know a little about magic. Let me give it a try," Magnus said as Longshot propped him up against the wall, facing the chest.

"Are you sure?" Longshot asked.

"I don't need to move to use my powers and with a little luck, it'll work," Magnus said as the mutant master of luck smiled.

Longshot sat back and watched as Wade Harkus, son of the Scarlet Witch, began to chant and mumble a series of words. Electricity began to crackle around his eyes and his still hands. The electricity from his eyes seemed to extend out and surround his arms, making them move in needed gestures. Electricity then leapt from his hands and struck the chest, causing it to become surrounded in a field of electrical energy. Longshot smiled as he glanced over at the electrical witch.

"What now my friend?" Longshot asked as he moved near the glowing chest.

"With luck, you should be able to open it. Any triggered trap should be contained and absorbed by the field I put around it," Magnus said with forced confidence.

"Here it goes," Longshot said as he got the lock undone and flipped open the chest.

He covered his eyes as he heard the roar of fire. To his surprise, the fire never came farther than the chest's lid. As quickly as it had been created it was absorbed and snuffed out by the electrical barrier. Longshot removed his hands from his face and peered into the chest. Inside was what appeared to be the small image of a woman with snake-like, scaly skin. Longshot wasn't for certain, but he could swear she looked familiar. Before he could reach in, a force threw him away from the chest.

"I don't know how you got that opened, but I can't let you go on any further," Ch'léa said as she took a stance in front of the opened chest.

"I didn't believe it when they told me. Now me own eyes are deceiving me. Tell me it ain't so," an old voice said causing Ch'léa to turn around to see an old pirate standing in front of them.

"Ko'vak, how did you escape?" Ch'léa asked with spite.

"With a little help. It seems while your brother was searching to find you, all you wanted to do was keep him locked up," Emma said as she and Slipstream stepped up behind the old captain.

"Emma, it seems we found Warren as well as the chest," Longshot said, never expecting to be relieved to see Emma Frost.

"We found that out the hard way when we came down here and walked right into the war zone. Alex and the others are helping contain the situation," Emma said as her eyes darted to the chest.

"Why are you doing this?" Captain Ko'vak said as he eyed his sister.

"Something about being trapped in a chest for years makes you lust for power and revenge," Ch'léa said with a laugh as a golden dagger formed in her hand.

"That can't be me sister," Ko'vak said.

"In a sense she's not. Thanks to you her damage on us is over and I was able to peak into her mind. The longer you're in the chest the more corrupt the power makes you. It litterly changes and takes the person over. She can't help it, as your father couldn't when she had found him and he took his freedom by tricking her and trapping her within," Emma said as Slipstream moved away from her sharp edges.

"You don't have to do this. Release the power," Ko'vak pleaded of his sister.

"Are you crazy? Not only had being trapped in the chest kept my youth, but controlling the power keeps me from aging. Plus, my replacement within adds an element I can't give up," Ch'léa said as she opened her hand, creating gold doubloons.

With a quick motion, the doubloons exploded with power and turned to dust which flew and sprinkled all over Silver Wing's crew and Ice Beard's crew. Ch'léa then drew on the power from the chest and sent a pulse of power that made everyone, except her brother fly into the corridor where the battle was being waged. She quickly ran to the edge and looked at Emma and her surprised teammates and then glanced at the two pirate crews.

"Don't fight over me. Fight for me. My love and my treasure for all who help kill these intruding humans," Ch'léa smiled as she then turned back to deal with her aged brother.

"You heard her, focus on the humans," Captain Silver Wing said as his purple skinned crew changed targets.

"Yes, for now we work together. Kill these humans," Captain Ice Beard said as he turned away from Silver Wing and faced Havok.

"This just keeps getting better," Havok said as he sent a blast that sent the icy captain flying backwards.

"I don't see why you guys are being so wimpy," Avalanche said as he used his powers to shake the ground and suddenly ripping a hole that started to suck crew members out into open space.

"Idiot, we don't want to kill them. They are not under their own control. Now you're going to get us killed," Emma said turning to sharp form and planting her gingers into the floor to help anchor herself from being sucked out.

"Got you," Slipstream said as he grabbed Océana and helped her latch onto the silver board he created out of energy to help keep them from being easily sucked into space.

"So much for taking out the threat," Havok commented as he tried to use all his strength to hold onto a handle on the wall.

"Just shut it," Emma snapped as she mentally filled Alex in on the family reunion.

"Don't think this will stop me," Captain Silver Wing said as sharp wings held him securely into the ceiling above.

"Can't you do something, Sway?" Longshot asked as he held onto a latch with one hand and Magnus with the other.

"I don't know. I don't know if slowing time will keep the suction of space from still getting us," Sway said as she held onto Slipstream's board for dear life.

"Bobby, use your ice powers to seal the hole," Emma said with a push.

"I will not be told what to do. I do it to save my life," Captain Ice Beard spat as inches from the hole into space he unleashes a powerful ice blast that seals the hole leading out into space.

"Now, that they are caught off guard, attack!" Captain Silver Wing shouted as his and Ice Beard's forces immediately prepare for a final assault.

"Looks like your saviors are done for," Ch'léa laughed as she turned back to her brother.

"Why are you doing this? Now that I've found you we can travel the space ways together again," Ko'vak said as he looked up at his sister.

"Decades too late from the looks of you. You left me to be captured by those awful pirates. The things I endured and they put me through, I only survived on the hope you would come and save me. As the years passed, I finally gave up hope on you," Ch'léa spat at the old pirate.

"Trust me. I never stopped looking for you. I know me loving sister is till within you," Ko'vak said with watery eyes.

"Save it. What was left of me or any of my love died when I managed to escape the pirates on a planet and stumbled upon the chest and mom's coffin in a wooded forest, opened it and was tricked by dad and placed into the chest. My soul and heart dying more and more as the years passed with no way out until the snake lady took my place. From the moment of my freedom I have sworn to use all power to make mean fall under my control and kill those who aren't worthy," Ch'léa sneered as moved towards her brother with the intent to kill.

"As I look in your eyes, I know I have no choice but to fix what needs to be fixed," Captain Ko'vak sighed as he removed his glove and placed his hand upon the chest and invoked his power.

"No, what are you doing?" Ch'léa cried as she tried to reach him, but was too late.

The chest exploded in a surge of power as it sent out pulse waves. He gold coating all over the ship and on the crew members all vanished. The pirate crews shook their heads in confusion as they tried to remember what they were doing here and why they were fighting. Captain Ice Beard reverted back to a very normal human looking Bobby Drake as Captain Silver Wing shifted and returned to flesh colored skin and feathery wings. His nearby teammates could see the confusion in both of their faces. Lastly, a woman with snake-like skin emerged from the chest and landed on the floor as the chest went dormant and dark.

"What did you do? My powers are gone," Ch'léa said as her skin began to change.

"The only way to fix things was to do what the original deal was to be. Release the power from the chest once and for all," Ko'vak said as he got to his feet and approached his sister.

"What have you done?" Ch'léa cried as she instantly aged to match that of her brother.

"What happened here?" Havok said as he and Emma walked back in and saw the old pirate holding an old lady.

"The chest has been destroyed and I have my sister back," the old pirate said holding his weeping sister.

"Looks like any chance of using the chest is gone," Emma began to say and then stopped. "Stacy X?"

"How did she get here or in the chest?" Havok asked in shock.

"It would explain the power of controlling the will of the men and Bobby and Warren fighting over her," Emma said as Havok knelt down and picked up the unconscious former X-Man.

"There'll be time for explanations later. I say we gather up our team and get out of here," Havok said.

"Thank you for your help to honor our deal. I will assume control over both fleets of pirates. You all will have clear passage out of this sector," Captain Ko'vak said as he led his sister past them.

"Why am I wearing a pirate's outfit?" Bobby asked as he and Warren tried to make heads and tales over what was going on.

"Later, Bobby. Time for all of us to go," Emma said as they made their way off the Captain's ship and onto theirs, which Tessa-2 had already plotted their next course.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

_**After the Storm – Part Three**_

_**Canada – The Ruins of Department H**_

"I don't believe it," Heather said as she stared at the pile of ruble that had once been her headquarters.

"I always wanted to see the Department go down, but not like that," James said thinking of all those that had been in there and may not of made it out.

As they brought the ship down they saw people everywhere picking their way carefully through the rubble. The local authorities were working well with the Alphans to keep all citizens and news crews away from the disaster site. As they flew in, the Canadian authorities had radioed them and they had to get clearance from Groundhog to bring their ship in and land at the site. They hadn't had time to talk to him or anyone on the status of the aftermath, but they would find out soon enough as they landed and saw Groundhog running up to the ship.

"Let me out of here. I'll get to sniffing and digging," Logan said as he got out of his seat.

"James, let me," Heather said as she stopped her ex-husband from reacting. "Logan, we all need to find out the situation from Groundhog and follow his lead. We don't want to make any matters worse than they are," Heather said as Wolverine began to protest and then soften at her touch.

"Fine, but let's get going. Kind of stuffy in here," Logan said as he glanced at James Hudson and then headed for the exit.

"James, Heather….Logan?" Groundhog said as he went to greet his old friends and paused at the unexpected blast from the past.

"Hey, Seany boy. Long time," Logan smiled at his former team mate from the First Flight.

"Where are your suits?" Sean asked looking quickly away from the feral mutant.

"The price we paid for bringing down the bad guy," James said as he suddenly felt naked without any powers.

"Where's Jodi?" Heather asked about Sean's wife, the Flight member known as Stitch.

"She's at the portable hospital unit we've setup not too far from here. Where's Switch?" Sean asked.

"She tried switching powers with the big bad and it sent her into shock. She alive and vitals are strong," James began to tell his old friend about his step-daughter.

"But, I'm afraid she's in a coma of sorts," Heather finished as Earthmover and Sasquatch carried a woman in blue leather on a stretcher off the ship.

"Oh, Deedra," Sean said as he ran to her side. "Darn you, James. I agreed to let her on your team as long as you promised to keep her safe!"

"Hey, that's not fair. You allowed her on my team so she wouldn't run off and I could keep tabs on her for you," James said as he started to grow angry.

"Guys, that's enough. She's alive and strong and that's what counts," Heather said as she tried to comfort her old friend.

"Oh, I just don't know how Jodi will take this. We had moved on and put all this behind us and now I've gone and pulled all of us right back into the middle of it all," Sean said as he glanced up and saw the rest of the crew descend from the ship.

"What's the situation here? What can we do to help?" Box asked as thoughts of Diamond Lil touched his thoughts.

"Most of the guards and crew that were outside the building that were injured make up the majority of the hospital unit. All the members of Z Flight but two are there and having any wounds tended to. The transformations back from Nemesis' sword have placed them in comas as well. We are keeping an eye on all of them and the more dangerous ones are bound securely for now," Feedback, the leader of Epsilon Flight said as he came walking up to them.

"All but two?" James asked the man in armor.

"Flex and Murmur. They were on the side ledge when it had initially collapsed. Radius started digging quickly for them but stumbled upon General Cybok. Before we could contain him, he severely wounded Snowbird and then blasted the Department H building causing the rest of it to cave inward as he blasted off out of sight," Feedback reported.

"There are so many buried under there we're afraid to do any more digging. Every time we start the building shifts and caves in a little more," Groundhog said as he composed himself.

"What of Narya?" Sasquatch asked.

"She's stable but lost a lot of blood. She wants to continue searching but we have to force to rest or she won't recover," Groundhog answered.

"It seems one of those darn demons are still alive and on the loose," Kara Killgrave said looking off into the sky.

"We have to keep going. There are probably a lot of people in there hanging on for dear life waiting to be rescued," Box said as he looked at the ruins where Lil was buried somewhere.

"If they're down there I can sniff them out," Wolverine said as his claws extended with a quick pop.

"First, let's get Switch and Silver up to the med unit," James said.

"What's wrong with her?" Groundhog asked.

"After being three-in-one for so long, the shock of losing both of them has finally hit her hard. Both physically and mentally she's kind of shut down," Heather said as Sean got a few Epsilon guards to grab his step-daughter and Silver and head towards the med unit.

"I'll join you here shortly. I need to be there when Jodi sees Deedra," Sean said as he followed after his step-daughter.

"I'll go with him," Heather said as she ran after them.

"What's the word there Jimmy-boy?" Wolverine asked as the rest of them made their way to the ruined building.

"Not only are there friends and teammates down there but a whole group of children in there too," James said as he tried to remain tough.

"I would just teleport in there but it's too risky not knowing the condition," Nemesis said as they saw Radius pacing.

"Every time I try to move the debris it shifts more downwards," Radius said as the fear for his brother and Murmur kept trying to take over.

"Feedback, do you have a layout of the building?" Box asked.

"Yeah," Feedback answered as he held up a device in his hand.

"Thanks," Box said as he called on his powers and ripped the device from his hands and started to rearrange his outfit, pull other material from around them and merge it with the device.

"What are you doing?" Rebound asked.

"I've created a drilling machine. With the layout of the place we can drill down here and come up from the bottom," Box said as he now stood on top of a fairly large drilling machine.

"Great and all, but once you break through the foundation of the main floor, how do you keep it from collapsing?" Puck asked.

"Well, with Radius here, as we are about to break through he reaches out and if it starts to move he holds it up fro the inside," Box said as they all looked at the young man.

"I don't know if I can do that. Never pushed my powers like that before," Radius said.

"Well kid, if you don't want people to die, it's time to step it up and be a man," Wolverine said as he padded the kid on the back.

"Okay, how many does that thing hold?" James asked.

"Four plus myself," Box said.

"Okay, then along with you and Radius, Nemesis goes so you have a teleporting escape route. Earthmover goes too in case his magic or healing tricks are needed," James said.

"Okay, there's room for one more," Box said.

"Then that's me. You'll need a small guy to squeeze through small spaces," Puck said.

"I'm going too. I can ride on the outside. You might need my nose and claws," Wolverine said as they all new better than to argue with him.

"Then the rest of us will do what we can from out here. I just wish I wasn't so powerless," James said.

"Wait, I can go with them. I can possess the drill machine and power it so Madison can focus his powers on other things. Then you can use my suit. With me out of it, there should be enough power to last you a little while," Predator said.

"You're brilliant," Madison said as James grinned.

Jayson Landon phased out of the armor and soon merged into the drilling machine instantly powering it up and taking control. Madison waved his hands and the Predator suit came apart and reformed around James. With a little additional help from Madison the suit suddenly powered up and James felt alive once again. With that, James waved as Box, Jayson, Radius, Puck, Nemesis, Earthmover and Wolverine riding on the outside moved the drill and within moments dug into the ground and soon vanished from sight.

"Okay, let's see what we can do from out here and be ready for any survivors that might need help that Nemesis might port back out here," James said as he, Kara, Rebound and Sasquatch walked toward the ruined Department H building.

**Next: Issue #26 – Odd Reunions & Alpha Flight: After the Storm – Part Four**


	27. Odd Reunions

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #26 – Odd Reunions**

_**X-Men's Spaceship **_

"Really, that's all we remember. We woke up in some jungle and while searching for food and other survivors, we ran into Ch'léa. There was a flash and then there's nothing till we woke up on that ship with all you guys," Warren said as Bobby and he nodded in their confirmation of what happened to them after the explosion of Magneto's base.

"So how did you guys survive and where are all the others?" Bobby Drake asked as he found it odd to see Frost and Havok leading such odd band of X-Men, especially the evil Avalanche and the girl with red hair that looked like a slightly younger Jean Grey.

"We will get to that. First, I want to know how you got here when you weren't even with the X-Men to start," Frost said as she glared at the reptilian looking mutant named Stacy X, who Emma hated for not being able to read her mind.

Stacy X glanced around the room. She had been dreading this since they left the old pirate's ship. After a brief goodbye, she and the rest of the X-Men had quickly boarded their ship. Emma and Alex had barked a few orders and the ship had picked up a trail and was on course once again. They had then cared and tended to everyone and once all was clear, Emma and Havok had requested a private meeting with Bobby, Warren and herself. As she felt the four of them staring at her she swallowed hard and began her tale.

"I heard that Xavier was calling in all the X-Men for a mission. I had actually contacted Charles and he denied me. Of course, no man says no to me so I had to come along and see what was going on. Using my special touch and persuasion, I was able to sneak aboard the ship and hide out.

"I stayed hidden until I sensed a lot of anger and hate in the air. So I snuck out of the ship to see a major battle going on with Apocalypse. I moved silently closer to find out what was really going down when a blast hit me and I blacked out. When I next woke up, I was laying amongst the rubble in a forest. I was really banged up and bleeding badly.

"I heard moaning and slowly made my way to the sound. There, lying not too far from each other were Bobby and Warren. Warren was badly cut up but didn't look fatal and I knew by his moaning he was still alive. As for Bobby, he was a different story. He just lay there, still and with no signs of life.

"As I got closer I could see that his head was cracked open and blood was everywhere. His legs were in a position that clearly indicated his back had to be broken and his left arms was barely hanging on to his shoulder and his right hand was a few inches from his wrist. Both wounds clearly had been cauterized by fire or heat somehow. I could fell that he was seconds away form death.

"I knew his wound were too severe for even my powers so I found a sharp rock and knelt down next to Angel. I sliced open his leg. I knew his healing factor would not let him die from this. I quickly found a piece of debris and continued to fill it with Warren's blood and douse it on Bobby, mixing their blood together. After a few minutes, I could see Bobby healing and I had moved his legs so they would set right.

"I was also doing well, since a lot of Warren's blood had worked its trick on me as well. Once Bobby was at a great point, I used my touch to speed up Warren's own healing factor so he would recover faster. I then went back to Bobby and placed my hands on him. I triggered his healing as well as the feeling to become ice.

"Once his body began to change I could see his own body pulling his hand and arm back and reattaching them back to his body. Once I was satisfied that both here healing and would be perfectly fine, I headed into the woods to find food and water of some kind. I traveled for a while when I found a wooden chest.

"I opened it and a beautiful sprit came out and said if I agreed to grant her the freedom she wanted, she would make sure they all would be taken care of. The chests powers seemed to cloud and feed on my powers. Before I knew it she was stepping away from the chest as I was being trapped inside. I could feel her feeding off my powers as the lid closed and I was trapped into darkness. I don't know how much time went by, but I was slowly drifting into a great dark sleep. The last thing I remember before fading into the dark was sensing her discovery of Bobby and Warren and then pulling on my powers to make them desire her. That was it until Longshot opened the chest and I began to regain consciousness and was soon freed by Captain Ko'vak," Stacy X said concluding her story.

"So it was your fault that Ch'léa was freed and all that she did to us and everyone," Bobby glared at the woman.

"Don't forget, if it weren't for Miranda, you'd be dead," Warren said as he smiled faintly at the woman he had once loved.

"Whatever," Bobby said and then softly added, "thanks."

"You're welcome," Stacy X said with a smile at both mutant men.

"What happened to the others?" Warren asked.

"Well, first, me and a group of others had landed back on Earth only to be found by and battle Apocalypse once again," Emma said as she used her powers to quickly fill them in on the new Horseman, the death of Apocalypse and the Demon Storm battle.

"I can't believe it, Kurt, Kitty, Rachel, they're all dead?" Warren asked in disbelief.

"Their sacrifice helped save the world," Havok said.

"Poor Sam and the others. I can't imagine being in charge of all the student sand having the whole placed destroyed and losing so many," Bobby sighed.

"Before we left, the mansion had been rebuilt and Rouge, Sage and Bishop are there to lend a hand," Emma said as Bobby kept eyeing her new body. She could sense his pity and it angered her.

"How did you get back out here? Where are the others?" Warren asked.

"Not sure how many are all still alive but we do know about some of them," Havok said as he told them how a handful had discovered a portal and made it back here to Earth.

"Yes, and with them out there we decided to go back and find them," Emma said as she opened her mind and filled them in on the story of Forge and his team, leaving out for now, the details about Xavier's secret and the discovered secret siblings of the X-Men.

"Wow, so we know they might still be out there still," Bobby said as Emma nodded.

"Yes, and that's the trail we are following, up till we ran into you and the pirates," Havok said.

"I can understand the others and you're allowing Avalanche to come along, but what's with the guy with red hair, the fish looking girl and the Jean lookalike?" Warren asked.

"It seems, due to magic, being raised in another dimension or something, the guy with red hair is Wade Harkus. He is the daughter of Wanda Maximoff," Havok said.

"And he is with you looking for Magneto, his grandfather? Boy, the kid will be disappointed when he meets him," Bobby laughed.

"What about the other two?" Warren asked as he stared at Emma.

"They were part of a group Forge found and rescued," Emma said as she glanced at Alex as she filled them in but leaving out the identities.

"They're both hiding something. I can feel it," Stacy X said as Emma glared at her.

"What aren't you guys telling us" Warren asked, his curiosity growing.

"We have the right to know," Bobby said as the resemblance to Jean starting to eat at him.

"Sit down, boys, and prepare yourselves. You are about to learn a main reason why we came back and we search for Xavier. The girl in red is Suzy Grey, Jean's sister and the other girl is your sister, Warren. Her name is Wendy," Emma said as she flooded their minds with the true story and revealing all they knew about Xavier's secrets.

"I don't," Bobby began to say as the thought of a sister almost made him pass out.

"I'll kill Charles for this," Warren said growing angry about what Charles did to him and the rest of the X-Men and their families.

"Trust me, Charles will have a lot to answer for when we find him," Havok said as Emma gave a mental nod and the door to the room opened and two young woman were brought in.

"So you're Jean's sister? What can you tell me about my sister?" Bobby asked as Sway sat down and they began to talk about what little she did know.

"Hi," Warren said as Wendy answered back with the same.

"I thought there would be more of a happy reunion between those two," Havok said.

"So did I," Emma said as she eyed the girl cautiously.

"It's odd, even without knowing each other existed, you'd think I would taste a little familiarity between the two," Stacy X said as Havok finally escorted her to her own room at Emma's mental request.

"Petra is really nice. You guys look a lot alike. I wish I could tell you more, but a lot of our memories are gone too about the time before," Sway said as she tried to tell Bobby as much as she could about his sister.

"You are the spitting image of Jean. She was an amazing woman," Bobby said as he tried to hold back the tears telling her all about her sister that died before she would ever get the chance to see or know her.

"I think this is a bit odd. I don't know if I'm supposed to hug you or what," Warren said staring at the fishy looking girl before him.

"Yeah, seems strange," Océana said as she kept glancing over at the diamond skinned woman watching them.

"Seems I got the mutation to take to the air while you got the ability to take to the water," Warren said as he wished he could feel something more for his long lost sibling before him.

"If it's okay, this is a bit overwhelming for me. I think I will retire to my room," Océana said as Warren nodded and gave her an awkward hug and let her go on her way.

Emma began to move towards Warren when Tessa-2 chimed in. "Frost, we have a definite lock on our prey again. We are about a few hours from catching up to it. Something is blocking my scans but I believe I am picking up possible mutant signatures from it. I can't tell you how many but they are definitely mutants."

"Great, set course full speed ahead," Emma said as she quickly left the room.

_**Epilogue**_

"Where am I?" Xavier asked as he sat up rubbing his head.

"I don't know, but we are in a cell of some kind. You've been out for days. I've lost track of time since I've been here for so long," a woman said as she helped him up.

"Thank you. A cell? Who holds us?" Xavier asked as he realized that something was preventing him from using his powers.

"I don't know. A strange creature brings in food and then leaves. It is always dark and I can't see. When they brought you in here, you seem to be in a coma of sorts. I tried to wake you but could not. They would come in and give you shots. I imagine injecting nutrients into you. They never speak," the woman responded.

"I see. Last I recall, me and a few of my friends escaped through a portal and I must have ended up here. Could they be here too?" Charles asked wishing he could see in the dark. There was something about this woman that pulled at his mind.

"Sorry, no one has been here except me. I don't remember much. I remember a dreadful pain and then seemed to be waking up when a strange power was ripped from me and I fell through some kind of rift waking up here. Before I had the power ripped from me, I was given my name but that was it. It seems I can't recall anything else or where I came from. All I have is my name," the woman in the dark said.

"That's okay. I have experience with the mysteries of the mind. Maybe I can help you remember. What is your name? I am Charles Xavier," Charles said wishing he knew why his powers were not working.

"So nice to meet you, Charles. I am Jean Grey," the woman said as she heard her new friend gasp in surprise.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**After the Storm – Part Four**

_**Under The Ruins of Department H**_

"Okay, we are approaching the wall that leads into the basement," Box said amazed at how easy it had been to click with the old Alphans and merge back into this Box persona.

"I can definitely smell bodies behind there," Wolverine said as he leapt back from the section they were about to drill through.

"Radius, be ready to use your force field and Nemesis and Earthmover be ready for medical assistance and transport," Box said as he urged Jayson to command the drill machine onwards.

As the machine pushed through and stopped half way through the wall, they were happy to find that the room they had entered has only caved down a little and was still pretty secure. They all left the machine and entered the basement. For now, Box asked that Jayson stay in the machine where he would be safe and ready to move if needed. The six of them walked around looking for bodies. Wolverine moved with speed as his nose started to sniff continuously.

"Anything, Logan?" Puck asked.

"I smelled bodies and I think they are coming from over here," Wolverine said as they soon discovered what was left of the battle between Dark Beast, Alpha Flight and the bodies of the students that didn't survive his attack.

"This must have been the battle Heather talked about. Any sign of Dark Beast?" Puck asked.

"No, but I can smell the wretched creature. Looks like he escaped through this hole here," Logan said as he found a passageway just big enough of a person to squeeze through.

"Where to now?" Nemesis asked as she looked around.

"If I understand, Lil and what's left of Beta Flight and Omega Flight were in the infirmary. That is no too far above us. The young student's wing is over in the opposite direction," Box said as he studied the map and had to resist his urge to dash towards Lil.

"Mr. Puck, Mr. Puck, is that you?" A girl said suddenly floating through the floor.

"Lilli, is that you?" Puck said as he saw the Alpha now Beta Flight member named Ghost Girl turn solid before them.

"Yes. I heard a noise and Ms. Crawley sent me down to investigate," Ghost Girl said as Puck hugged her.

"Lil sent you? Is she okay?" Box asked.

"Yes, the ceiling caved leaving a small section safe. We are all in there and trapped. I'm a bit too scared and to unsure where to go to try and phase people out," Ghost Girl said.

"We are here now. You can Phase Nemesis up there to you and she can teleport them all outside to safety," Puck said.

"Anyone need Medical Attention?" Earthmover asked as they all inquired about survivors.

"Major Mapleleaf, he was brought in and according to Ms. Crawley was a vegetable. A beam came down and went through his chest. It was so awful," Ghost Girl cried.

"Oh, poor Lou," Earthmover cried.

"Anyone else?" Box asked.

"The only other three members of Beta Flight are banged up but okay. The area where Omega Flight is caved in pretty good, but Ms. Crawley won't let us go near to check them out since they could be dangerous or risk the ceiling finally giving," Ghost Girl said.

"Well, you guys go take care of them. Puck, you and me can squeeze through this hole. This whole leads near the student's quarters and I can smell them all," Wolverine said as he dashed up the whole Dark Beast had used.

"Logan, wait," Box called and then turned to Puck sighing. "Go after him."

In a matter of moments Puck was running and calling after Wolverine. Box then had Radius, Nemesis and Earthmover join hands with him and Ghost Girl so she could make them all intangible and take them straight up to Diamond Lil and the others. He just hoped they would all be okay and that so would everyone else still trapped in the fallen headquarters.

_**Above Ground – Medical Tents**_

"I will kill him!" Jodi swore as she cried at her daughter's bed side.

"It wasn't his fault. She was helping save the world," Sean tried to comfort his wife.

"Oh, don't think I don't blame you. You let her get involved with him and his team," Jodi said as she glared at her husband.

"Jodi, calm down. It's nobody's fault. I know it's hard but she's still alive and not a bruise on her. You have to be thankful for that," Heather said as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I know," Jodi sobbed into Heather's arms.

"Sean, we have incoming," a voice shouted causing him to stop his sentence and turn away from the bedside.

Sean could see Feedback running forward with a group of Epsilon Flight guards with James and Walter running behind him. All the guards were carrying transport stretches with lots of kids and staff. Sean and Heather immediately saw that Walter was carrying a man while James had a woman. Heather stepped back as Jodi and Sean sprung to life and started shouted orders and getting all medical personal to tend to all the incoming. Everything was moving in such a blur.

"What happened?" Heather asked as they all approached.

"We found and opening on the far said and was able to get down close enough were we found a section full of people. A lot were dead but any that had life signs we raced here immediately," James said.

"That is, oh no, that's Arlette," Heather suddenly screamed when she finally recognized the face through all the blood.

"Yeah, we found her and Adrian with the others. They said that Arlette came digging through a section of debris carrying Adrian and then collapsed," James said.

"Her powers must have somehow kept her form going into a coma like sleep like the others," Sean said as they moved her to a bed.

"Looks like we have Beatrice, the Headmistress of Gamma Flight here too. She doesn't look too good," Feedback said as he passed by them.

"Sir, word is in from Mr. Jeffries. They've found the infirmary and bringing what is left of Beta Flight and will need help with Omega Flight," one of the Epsilon Flight soldiers radioed in.

"Alright everyone, looks like we finally got a break here and able to get to the rest of the bodies. Everyone move. It's going to be a long night," Sean said as he and Feedback began shouting commands. It was going to be a long night, but hopefully they would have everyone accounted for soon, dead or alive.

_**Shortly, on the other side of the ruins of Department H**_

"Where are you, McCoy?" Wolverine said as he slashed out of the debris and into the open air.

He had been following the hole and had caught a strong sent of the Dark Beast and instinct kicked in and he raced forward against Puck's wishes. He looked around and moved closer to a clearing of trees and suddenly the Beast's scent vanished. He was about to turn back when he picked up a very strange smell. He quickly followed it till he came across the figure that looked half robot and have creature of some kind. He wasn't sure if it was a student but he smelled of Alphans. The man seemed to be severely injured and was trying to repair his robotic side while his flesh side bleeds.

"Logan, watch out. That's General Cybock. The missing demon from the Storm," Puck shouted suddenly from somewhere behind him.

"Is that so?" Logan asked looking at the demon.

"Yes, and I will avenge Semaj," General Cybock said as he made it to his feet.

"That's all I needed to know," Wolverine growled as he extended his claws and leapt at the demon.

**Next: Issue #27 – Revenge – Part One & Alpha Flight: After the Storm – Part Five**


	28. Revenge Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #27 – Revenge – Part One**

_**X-Men's Spaceship **_

"We're closing in and I've made sure we are in stealth mode," Slipstream said as he merged his abilities with the ship and Tess-2 to track the ship that may have mutants onboard.

"How much longer before we catch up to them?" Havok asked.

"Maybe an hour?" Slipstream suggested.

"Half an hour to be exact if we keep up at this speed," Tessa-2's voice said over the communication system.

"Thanks," Havok said rolling his eyes. "I'll be in my room. Call me when we get within visual range."

Havok made his way from the bridge to his room. He was growing tired of space and wondered how his dad coped with it for a living, being away from his family. He wasn't like his dad and he had to press on if he had any hope of finding Lorna. He didn't know what he would do if he lost her. They had been through a lot over the years and it always seemed like he could never get things right or commit properly to her. Things were going to change after this. Once he found her he would never let her go again.

On top of worrying about finding his true love, he had the rest of the X-Men out there lost in space to worry about as well. He knew Magneto and members of the Brotherhood were lost out there, but he could care less if they ever made it back. It was the X-Men that he was worried about. He had no idea if any of them were still alive out there or where to find them except for one group, Lorna's group. Their trail was who they were tracking right now.

The trail they were following belonged to a group, according to Sage, called the Others, a race of robotic demons. It seemed that before Forge could get them all home they had attacked the group of X-Men. For what ever reason, only a few made it back before the portal was closed. Someone or something had blasted the machine and Forge closing it for business leaving the rest trapped on the planet at the mercy of the Others. When Havok and his group arrived, all was gone but their X-Craft and a trail leading off of the planet. There were no bodies, dead or alive so they assumed that they had either made it off alive or were taken by the Others.

Along with Polaris, Forge and the evil Mystique, there was Dazzler and the rest of Xavier's secret X-Men, Darwin, Petra, Spirit and Vulcan. Havok didn't know what to think of his long lost brother, but from what he understood from Sage was that her team had rescued them from an evil crime lord and his hired bounty hunters. It seems Vulcan accidently killed his son and was now wanted for revenge. Not only did the crime boss fail but so did his bounty hunters. The X-Men defeated these hunters and had saved Dazzler from them too. It seemed that they had tried to assimilate her but Forge had taken her back. She had no memories of her life as an X-Man, was still part cybernetic and called herself Spark, but she had chosen to remain with the X-Men.

"Alex, we are within range, and what's left of the ship is on screen," Tess-2 said bringing Havok back to the present.

"What do you mean, what's left?" Alex said as he made a run for the bridge.

"It seems the ship is floating in space and pretty shot up. By the looks of it we just missed the battle by a few minutes," Frost said inside his mind.

"I can pick up trails leaving this spot and faint readings that could be our mutants, but I'm definitely picking up one mutant reading in the ship ahead," Tessa-2 said.

"Tessa-2, secure the readings on the escaping ships so we can follow them later. Emma, see if you can pick up anything from our mutant," Alex said out loud and in his mind.

"Not picking up anything. Either there are some shields or something interfering with my powers or our mutant is seconds from death," Frost said as Alex burst into the room and stared at the screen.

"Then assemble a team and let's get down there," Havok said as Tessa-2 and Frost finished what they had already started.

_**Interlude**_

"Go away, I hate you for what you've done," Ch'léa said as she stared at her aged face in the mirror.

"Me dear sister, you left me no choice. That treasure was evil and now that you are free we can travel the stars for more treasure," Captain Ko'vak said as he steppe dup to his sister.

"Don't you miss the power?" Ch'léa asked with anger in her eyes as she turned to face her brother.

"Not if it means being without you," the old captain said with a faint smile.

"You make me sick," the Captain's sister spat at him.

"I," Captain Ko'vak began to say when one of his crew men dashed into the room followed by the ships alarm system.

"Captain!" The man shouted trying to catch his breath.

"What is going on? Why are the alarms sounding?" The Captain asked.

"We are being attacked," the crewman said.

"Then assemble the fleet. If it's a fight they want it's a fight we'll give them," the Captain said as he prepared himself for battle.

"I can't, sir. It's too late," the crewman cried.

"What're you talking about?" The Captain asked.

"They came out of nowhere. Ninety-five percent of your crew and ships are gone. We," the crewman began to report and then fell silent as a blaster shot parted his head and sent him to the ground.

"Who dares?" Captain Ko'vak said as he pulled out his weapon and stepped in front of his sister.

"I am searching for a group of outcasts that have a large bounty on their heads. Their trail leads here to your ship. Tell me what I want to know and I may let you live," a figure said stepping into the room.

"Zekk, here I thought you were but an urban legend. I will tell you nothing," Captain Ko'vak declared.

"They were here," Ch'léa began to speak.

"Sister, no," Ko'vak said turning on his sister.

"I don't care. They ruined my life and I want them to pay," Ch'léa said pushing her brother down.

"I sense great emptiness in you. If you agree to join me, I will make you hole again," Zekk said as he moved towards the old woman with youthful excitement in her eyes.

"Yes, I will join you and tell you everything," Ch'léa said as Zekk used one hand to fire a blast to end the Captain's life while shooting cables from his other hand and into her neck, remaking her anew.

_**Inside the wreckage of a spaceship**_

"So this is what these Others look like," Angel said as he knelt down and looked at the destroyed remains of a robot.

"Not so scary, if you ask me," Longshot said as he kicked a robotic head across the room.

"You have no idea. You should see them when they're alive," Sway said as just the sight of the robots gave her the shivers.

"Focus," Emma said as she kept a distance as she tried to use her mental powers to find their mutant.

Havok looked at his away team. He had chosen Emma for her mental powers, Longshot for luck and tracking, Angel for his healing blood and Sway for her ability to slow time and recreate past events. Havok was nervous about taking down someone he didn't know that well, Jean's sister or not, but Tessa-2 gave recommendations on her ability to prove herself and fight along side the X-Men. So he had allowed the girl to come. He nodded at them all as he suddenly caught a glance of something on the wall and held up a device to it.

"Havok, from the scanner I seem to be getting faint traces of what appears to be blood on the wall. I could be mistaken, but it is a possible match to the Summer's bloodline," Tessa-2 said.

"Well, we know it's not me so it's either Scott or Gabriele," Havok said as he looked up at the others.

"You really think it could be Scott? There weren't any records of him being with the group," Emma said as she felt her heart racing and her mind pushing out.

"It wasn't Scott," Sway said as suddenly her eyes began to glow with powers as she held up her hand.

Sway's powers engulfed everyone as phantom images began to form in front of them. As clear as day they could see Gabriele Summers, the mutant called Vulcan battling with all his might against two Others. One of the robotic demons swiped its hand Vulcan hitting him in the head causing blood it hit the wall. Sway suddenly screamed and lost concentration at the sudden impact of violence. The phantom images instantly vanished as they all stared at the dried blood on the wall. Sway took a deep breath and sighed with an apologetic look to Havok and Frost.

"It's okay, now we know what attacked the ship. Its possible Gabe is the one we detected on the ship. Everyone split up and search. If it is him he is in need of medical attention," Havok said as they all soon broke off and searched the ship.

Sway made her way into a small corridor and then into what looked like a small bedroom. She looked around and saw that it looked like a tornado had hit it. Debris was everywhere and all the shelving from the wall was piled on the floor. She was about to move closer when she heard something behind her. She turned around and was ready to use her time powers when a pleasant smile stopped her.

"Whoa, chill out," Bobby Drake, the mutant known as Iceman laughed.

"Oh, sorry. What are you doing here?" Sway asked not really minding since she was starting to find the man very cute, even if he was a few years older than her.

"It's okay. I didn't mean to startle you. Havok and Tessa-2 both thought it might not be a bad idea to have an seasoned pro down here with you since you are still a little new to all this," Iceman said with a smile.

Sway was about to answer when she heard a faint moan. She quickly turned around and realized it was coming from the fallen shelves. She ran over and began moving the shelves to find a body under it, alive but barely. As he cleared all the shelves she gasped in surprise when she recognized who it was. It couldn't be could it? Sway shook her head in disbelieve as she found herself looking at the body of Océana.

"How can this be?" Sway asked as she turned to find herself looking into the barrel of a gun and gasp in surprise.

"This can't be good now, can it?" Iceman smirked as his eyes flickered yellow and he pressed his gun against Sway's forehead.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**After the Storm – Part Five**

_**The ruins of Department H**_

"You are no match for me," General Cybock said as he raised his arm and fired a powerful blast from his weapon.

The blast hit Wolverine and sent him flying back onto the ground. He slowly got to his feat as the right side of his face and torso exposed muscle and adamantium bone where the blast had it him. Wolverine growled as he ran at full speed at the robotic demon, claws extended and ready for the kill. General Cybock fired off another blast but missed as the feral mutant leapt out of the way and directly at him. Cybock could see the creature was already over half healed as the sharp claws came down and severed his robotic arm off of his body.

"Listen, bub, you can mess up my mug but when you hurt and kill my friends then I hurt and kill you," Wolverine said as he stood facing the injured demon.

"Logan," Puck began to say as he moved closer to the battlefield.

"Stay back, I've got this," Wolverine said as Puck huffed at the comment.

"Listen to your friend," General Cybock said as he pointed his demon arm and fired off a blast of fire that sent Puck somersaulting backwards to avoid being burnt.

"What id I tell you about hurting my friends?" Wolverine asked as he leapt at the General.

"Fool, I am not without ticks of my own," General Cybock said as he pointed his demon arm at Wolverine, palm upwards.

General Cybock's eye flashed with fiery power as some kind of demon fire erupted from his arm and engulfed the charging mutant. Wolverine's screams could be heard as the fire consumed and stopped him in his place. General Cybock laughed as Puck cried out at the smell of flesh and hair simmering in the air. The robotic demon suddenly stopped laughing as he saw a shape moving within the fire and then step out into the open air. Cybock stared in amazement as a figure, completely mutilated and burned with almost no flesh reaming on it's bones proceeded towards him. As the creature got closer he could see it slowly reshaping and healing.

"What manner of demon are you?" general Cybock asked.

Wolverine answered back the only way he knew how. He used the last of his strength and leapt upon the robotic demon, pushing him to the ground. Wolverine then raised his extended claws and with a cross swipe of his arms removed the General's head from his body. Satisfied that the demon was dead, Logan passed out and hit the ground next to the headless body. Puck immediately came running towards his old friend. As he knelt down he saw that Logan was still alive and was healing up right before his eyes.

"Always got to be the show off," Puck sighed as he looked up and saw Epsilon guards heading their way.

_**Home of Heather Hudson – A few days later…**_

Wolverine woke to find himself staring at a woman lying dead on the ground across a large field from him. As he squinted he saw a large and strange looking figure suddenly standing over the woman's body. Wolverine flinched as the man ripped open the woman's belly and tore something from her belly. Logan gasped as he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The man was holding a baby and it was alive. He could hear the baby's screams. Wolverine started running at the man at full speed. He didn't know why but he couldn't let the man have that child.

"Sorry, James but you and your son will always belong to me," the man said as Wolverine lunged at him in a deafening roar, claws extended.

Logan coughed as he suddenly opened his eyes and saw that he has feathers in his mouth and that he was slashing at the pillows on the bed he was laying in. Logan quickly got up and shook his head. The dream had faded and for the life of him he couldn't bring himself to remember what it was. He shrugged it off as the edge of his subconscious tugged at him. It was only a dream. That was all. Once his head was cleared he retracted his claws as he remembered what he had just been through with the robotic demon. He quickly glanced around and with one quick sniff he knew he was in a safe place. He could smell her and what seemed to be sausage in the air.

Before heading out of the room, Logan stopped and looked in the near by mirror and saw he was completely healed and completely bare. He glanced and saw that a pile of clean cloths awaited him on the dresser. Heather was the best. He quickly put on the cloths and wasn't surprised that they fit him perfectly. He quickly made his way out of the room and down to the kitchen where he saw Heather, Mac, Eugene and Walter sitting around the table eating breakfast. Heather's eyes lit up as he entered the room.

"About time sleepy head," Heather said as she got up and then set a plate of food at the table for Logan.

"Feel like I've been hit by a truck. How long have I been out?" Logan asked.

"Almost two days," James said as he saw his friend flinch for a sec and then sit down and maw at the food.

"Feels about right, sorry I was out of it for so long. How's the clean up and rescue efforts?" Logan asked through mouthfuls of food.

"It's okay, you really did a number on ol' General Cybock and that helped a lot," Puck laughed.

"I agree, that's one less loose end to worry about. When you severed the head, the demon parts vanished in smoke and ash and I made sure the robot parts were disposed of," James said.

"We got everyone, dead and alive, out of the ruins of Department H. The place is unsalvageable and completely destroyed. Since it was privately owned by that impersonating demon, the government is delayed in confiscating it so we made sure there wasn't anything of value left there," Walter said.

"We've notified all the families of the dead and decided to return all the students back to their families. I always thought the idea of combining an Alpha team with students was too dangerous and I was right," Eugene said as everyone nodded but Heather.

"I still think the idea to train those with powers could be beneficial," Heather said as she looked over at Logan for support.

"I agree, but trust me, you don't know the pressure of trying to care for a bunch of kids while trying to keep the next Magneto from killing them?" Logan said as he sensed a bit of irritation from Heather.

"Anyways, with the loss of Beatrice Gamma Flight is shut down permanently and the kids are all back at home and those without homes we've worked to place in safe homes, orphanages or institutes. I have personally made sure all placements were safe and risk free," James said as Heather smiled.

"For the surviving members of Beta Flight we decided it was best if they not be placed elsewhere. I have decided to remain here in Canada and moved in with Lillian. Until we come up with a better game plan, we have taken in Beta Flight and will watch over them," Walter said.

"It's good to hear Lil is okay," Logan said.

"Yeah, but it was awkward when her and Madison came face to face. You could feel the tension. She wanted him so bad when he checked on her and then when he said he had to get back to his wife and daughter, man she wanted to hit something," Puck laughed as Heather glared at him.

"So I take it Jeffries didn't stick around?" Logan asked.

"No, he had to get going. He hasn't seen his family since they barely escaped Bergsville. Once everything that could be done was done, he headed out with that kid Jayson but promised to stay in touch," Heather said.

"What about the rest?" Logan asked as he took another helping of food.

"Things are rocky with Jodi and Sean right now but they have decided to put it behind them and focus on their daughter. Switch is still in a coma but her vitals are very strong. Sean has decided to move his company back here and run things till Switch gets better.

"They have also converted the basement into a medical and holding facility. Since all those converted into Z Flight are in comas we thought it might be best to keep them there for now. Epsilon Flight is no more, but Sean has hired Albert and his best men as security there. Nemesis has kind of become taken in by the Bernards and has agreed to stay and help them as well as Earthmover to lend his medical and healing abilities," James said.

"Arlette is no longer critical but will be in recovery for a while. Jared has decided to take her back to her home and care for her there. Being away from this will do them both good. With her healing and him morning the los of his brother," Heather said as she remembered the pain in his eyes for hiding all this time only to came back to the living to loose his brother this time.

"Snowbird was also injured pretty badly, but she has left to go heal and lick her wounds. Silver, now a single being and Kara, powerless for now, have also left to go off on their own to find themselves. My daughter even went back to work at the bar she once worked at. After what she did she needs time alone," Puck said as some agreed with her going off after her betrayal of the team.

"Don't worry, she'll be okay if she's anything like her dad," Logan said still trying to get over the fact Judd had an offspring.

"Yeah, I know. Someday you'll have kids and see the heartache they cause," Puck laughed.

"Me, kids? Never," Logan smirked and then looked over at Heather. "What about Omega Flight?"

"The cave-in on them left them in very bad shape on top of the condition they were in to begin with. They're also being watched after and contained in the basement of Sean's place," Walter said.

"It almost seems like you got your own little Department H reforming over there," Logan teased.

"Never in a million years, and that's not even funny old man," James said knowing that they all knew full well the stuff Department H and its sister programs have done to them all.

"Speaking of, Madam Q is still alive and claiming to be innocent in all this. She wants us to trust her and thinks we should still form some kind of group. Canada still needs heroes," Heather said.

"I don't know if I can trust her, but I didn't work with her like you did. She does have a good point though. I think Alpha Flight is needed in some form or another, especially with people like Weapon Superior still out there," Mac said.

"Who?" Logan asked as the name perked his interest.

"A major baddy connected to you and the Weapon X program," Puck said as he and the others filled Logan in on Weapon Superior and their run in with him and his plans.

"Sounds like you guys aren't the only ones still needed here," Wolverine said as he and the others began to talk and celebrate a little now that the Storm was over.

**Next: Issue #28 – Revenge – Part Two & Alpha Flight: Rebuilding – Part One**


	29. Revenge Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #28 – Revenge – Part Two**

_**Inside the wreckage of a spaceship**_

"I don't understand. Why are you doing this? Are you still possessed?" Sway asked as the cool metal barrel of Iceman's gun on her forehead made her nervous.

"No, my dear, I'm not possessed," Iceman said as he watched the girl carefully.

"Then why are you pointing a gun at me and why is it that Océana is laying here injured and not on the ship?" Sway asked as she calmly tried to reach for her powers deep within her.

"Don't even think about using your powers. I guarantee I can put a bullet through your head faster than you can freeze either me or the bullet," Iceman said as he glanced from Sway to the injured mutant on the floor trying to decide what to do next.

"What's with the… Bobby, what are you doing here?" Emma Frost asked in surprise as she finds Bobby Drake leaning over an unconscious Sway examining a large bump on her forehead and a severely injured Océana under a bunch of debris.

"Frost," Iceman said as he got up and faced the diamond woman that had just walked into the room.

"What happened here?" Frost asked keeping her ice on the man of ice.

"Océana wanted to help look for her friends so she snuck down here. I quickly followed her to make sure she stayed out of trouble. When I walked in on the two here talking, Wendy jumped and backed into the wall causing the ceiling to collapse. She pushed Sway out of the way and was caught in the collapse while a loose chunk hit Sway on the head. Sway will be okay but I think Warren's sister may need some medical attention," Iceman rambled quickly as he stared right at Emma Frost.

"Warren, we need you," Frost said into her com-badge as she started to move towards the two female mutants but then suddenly shifted, pinning Iceman to the wall by the neck with both her hands.

"Emma?" Iceman strained to speak.

"Cut the act and don't even try anything. You so much as blink I'll shift to my sharp form and with the way both my hands are around your neck you'll be lucky if you head stays attached," Frost said glaring into the surprised mutant's eyes.

"Emma, I'm telling the truth," Iceman said as he was barely able to speak the words from the pressure around his neck.

"Before entering this room I scanned it with my mind. I was only able to pick up Sway's thoughts and she had images of you and Océana. Confused by this I radioed up to Tessa-2 and was surprised to find that Bobby Drake is still onboard the ship," Emma said eyeing iceman.

"Emma, come on. It's me, Bobby. Let me go," Iceman pleaded and then screamed as Emma used the momentum of her foot to make a piece of debris scrape his leg.

"Funny, men of ice don't bleed. I've been very confused about you but this confirms it. Game's over. Tell me what you're up to, Mystique before I sever your head," Frost demanded as the shocked face of Iceman was suddenly gone and replaced by a very agitated looking blue skinned female mutant.

_**Back on the X-Men's Ship**_

"I still don't see why I couldn't have gone down and helped," Stacy X pouted as she sat in a chair watching Tessa-2 and Bobby Drake going over the ship's computer consoles.

"Because Emma and Alex both said no," Tessa-2 said without looking her way.

"Your past history and all, I can't imagine why," Slipstream said from the other side of the deck.

"Hey guys, lighten up. You can't blame all this on her," Iceman said as he glanced over at the former member of the X-Men.

"Most of this would not have happened if she hadn't snuck along and found that chest," Slipstream added.

"Technically, if she had stayed on Earth both Bobby and Warren would most likely have died from their injuries and we would never have found them," Tessa-2 added without any emotion.

"See, she actually did good this time. In a roundabout way," Iceman said making Stacy X smile slightly.

Stacy X sighed. She knew that she hadn't lead a very good life and seemed to cause more trouble than good when she was with the X-Men, but she really meant to prove herself this time. That's why she snuck along when all the X-Men had been called on by Charles Xavier. All her life she had been used by men, physically and emotionally and she had allowed it or endured it to survive. She may not come across this way, but deep down she truly wanted to be loved and live a respectable life. A majority of the time she just couldn't do it but this time, she wanted to try and turn her life around. So she had gone with the X-Men into space to just that. Unfortunately, like always, things didn't go her way.

"Actually, I'm not detecting Océana here but Bobby is standing right next to me," Tessa-2 suddenly responded into the com system.

"What's going on?" Iceman asked as he and Slipstream looked over at Tessa-2.

"Emma radioed in. Seems Océana has snuck down to the ship below. She asked if you were here too. She let me go and has just alerted Warren that she needs his help with a wounded," Tessa-2 responded.

"Radio down there and find out what's going on. If they need our help," Iceman began to say when a strange boom followed by a two second hum rattled the ship.

"What's going on?" Stacy X asked as the power went out leaving them in complete darkness till the emergency lights kicked in giving them a dimming light.

"Powers completely out and we're sitting dead in space. Only thing I'm reading is life support. I can't even pull up Tessa-2," Slipstream said as he pounded on the computer boards.

"Tessa-2, please respond. Tessa-2, are you still with us?" Iceman called out confirming Slipstreams report.

"What caused this?" Stacy X asked.

"I don't know," Slipstream said.

"Can you get the power back up?" Iceman asked.

"I'm trying, but what ever that boom was it completely shut down our power," Slipstream said as he continued to fiddle with the dead system.

"What did you guys do to the power?" Avalanche asked as Magnus used his mystical electricity to pry open the doors to let them onto the deck.

"We didn't do anything. Something hit us and now were sitting dead," Slipstream said.

"Oh great, now we're trapped out here alone and were going to die," Avalanche cried out.

"Chill out," Iceman said as he tried to ignore the Brotherhood member.

"Sbro Fo Thgil!" Magnus shouted as he waved his hands and invoked a spell that caused dozens of balls made of electricity to form and spread out around the deck giving them light and full sight of their surroundings.

"I still can't get over that your Wanda's son," Iceman said in awe.

"Don't forget, Magneto's his grandfather," Avalanche added. "Where's Tessa?"

"She went offline along with the ship," Slipstream said.

"No, you got to bring her back," Avalanche began to scream.

"You think you can bring our power back with your electricity?" Stacy X asked as she eyed the cute young man with red hair.

"I'll try," Magnus said as he tried to keep from blushing.

Magnus closed his eyes and began to concentrate. Just as he was about to release his spell something hit the ship that caused him to break his concentration while trying to keep from falling down. He looked over to see the others all doing their best not to fall flat on their backs. After a few moments the ship quit shaking and they all looked at each other with puzzled looks.

"What was that?" Iceman asked.

"I think we're being attacked," Stacy X said.

"What makes you say that?" Iceman asked.

"Because of that," Stacy X said as they all turned to see out the deck's window at a large spacecraft facing them.

"You suppose they are going to blow us away?" Avalanche asked.

"Shut up, Dominic," Slipstream said as he used his powers to track something outside.

"What's wrong?" Iceman asked.

"There's a trail leading from that ship to ours. I think that what ever hit us was a docking pod of some kind," Slipstream said.

"Then they're on the ship?" Stacy X asked.

"Yes, and it is good to see that the trail I've been following has lead me right to the ship I've been looking for," came a voice as a five figures stepped through the doorway all pointing guns at them.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Iceman asked as he began to call on his ice powers.

"I am Zekk and we are the Hunter's Five. You are going to tell us where our bounty and the ones that helped them escape me can be located," Zekk said as the Hunter's Five moved in.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Alpha Flight**_

**Rebuilding – Part One**

_**Ground Flight Industries – Few Months Later**_

"Good to see you, Heather. Mac, Logan," Sean Bernard said as he got p to shake the three visitor's hands.

"I still can't believe she's here," Mac whispered under his breadth to Logan.

"Mac, I know you don't trust her but she was on the up and up when I worked with her. She was just as surprised as we were to discover Director X and Guardian to be demons in disguise," Heather said back quietly.

"I still don't see how she could have worked that closely with him and not know," Mac said.

"Well, so did I and I didn't even have a clue," Heather responded.

"If it helps, I don't smell anything other than cheep perfume coming from her," Logan smirked as he headed into the room and took a seat.

"Heather," Mac began.

"James, please. If this is going to work we need to trust one another and work together. I even had a full background check done on her. She comes up clean and her real name is Reena D'Quem," Heather said as Mac huffed and they took their seats.

James Macdonald Hudson looked around the small table where a group of them had decided to assemble. It felt good to be back among them, well most of them. He had felt a sense of duty when they had all talked a few months back about putting together another Flight team, but they all knew everyone needed some time to recuperate and tend to other things, business and personal before going any further. With that, they took a few months and decided that if this was something they really wanted they would meet again. Now, the time had come and here they all were. Mac looked to his left at Sean first.

Sean and Jodi, after their daughter had been injured and placed in a coma had moved their company back here to Canada. He still had a division working in Los Angeles, but his main focus was the new Ground Flight Industries he built here. The business here was a front for something more. Even though to the eye and day to day operations looked like a business, a medical and holding facility among other things were hidden deep below the complex. With his daughter and others, including once considered "bad" needing care and observation, he knew that he and his wife had the skill and technology to do it. Now after a few months, things on both sides were working out great and Sean and Jodi decided to keep the company here and return home.

Next to Sean was Eugene Judd, the Alphan known as Puck. He was a dear and old friend to both Mac and Heather. It seemed that no matter what happened with him or Alpha Flight, he could be counted on to be there. Next to Eugene was another old friend, Walter Langkowski the Sasquatch. After first helping Mac out with his Team Alpha, he decided to leave and went to Bersgville, Pennsylvania to retire. He ended up becoming par t of a team called the Wild Pack but that was short lived after the Demon Storm destroyed their city and he ended coming back here to Canada to help them again. Now, he and Lillian Crawly have set up a place where they are guardians, mentors and trainers of the remaining four students of Beta Flight. Those kids have been through a lot, but they are in good hands with Walter. Mac's smile faded when he looked to Walter's other side.

Next to him was Madam Q. No matter what Heather said, he would never trust that woman. Wanting to waste no more energy and thoughts on the woman he glanced to the man sitting next to her. Good ol' James "Logan" Howlett. It seemed for long ago but yet just like yesterday that he and Heather had discovered the feral man in the Canadian wilderness. If anyone at this table has been through a lot it would be the hairy mutant called Wolverine. This man's history was wrapped in plots, programs and secrets that stemmed around Department H, Weapon X and more. He had always hated Xavier for taking him from his team, but over the years, being an X-Man had helped stabilize and humanize the wild beast.

Has much as he wanted to fully like the man, he had to admit that Logan still made him nervous. He was always a loose cannon and keen to do things his way. Preaching the killing rule fell on deaf ears. The man followed what rules he wanted when he wanted to but in the end Mac knew that there was no one better to have your back in a fight than Wolverine. Plus, Heather seemed to trust him more than anything and if she placed her faith in him than so would he. Even if he wasn't too happy about how chummy they were becoming.

"What?" Heather asked from his right.

"Oh, nothing. Was just thinking sitting here with everyone it reminds me of the beginning days of First Flight and then Alpha Flight," Mac said as Heather smiled and then stood up.

"Now that we are all here shall we begin?" Heather asked as she looked around at everyone.

"Have at it darlin'," Logan winked causing Mac to frown.

"First of all I'm so glad you all could be here. It great to see all your faces and makes it fell like old times," Heather said with a smile.

"That it is," Eugene answered back as a memory of old times from when they used to date put a smile on his face.

"Now, thanks to Mac and my contacts and reputation along with some influences Reena still has, we were able to get authority from Parliament and the Queen herself to run and operate a team here. Our team will be the sole authorized team to operate in Canada. Even though we have been granted permission and power, they will not fund us or be tied to us. We will be responsible for ourselves," Heather said.

"That's great," Walter said.

"Really no different than before," Eugene chuckled as most nodded.

"Not really, but there were some conditions put forth on us. There will be no more department H, Weapon Plus or similar programs. We act as a super hero team with no secrets or hidden agendas. That time has passed for this country. They will not interfere in our activities, unless we break the laws or became a threat to Canada, and allow us to operate freely as long as we send them monthly reports on our status and activities and keep them apprised of all team members whose identities will be kept confidential and secure," Heather said as no one really had a problem with the demands.

"I've yet to meet a government, especially this one that doesn't interfere or stay out of things, but as long as I get to do what I do best it don't faze me," Logan smiled.

"I know what you mean, especially with this team and departments past, but this is all legit and promising for once and I've completely agreed to the regulations and have been appointed as the liaison between our team and Parliament," Heather said as she received no complaints or objections from anyone.

"How do you plan to operate with no funding or build a headquarters?" Walter asked.

"That's where Sean and Jodi come in. Even though they have declined to join the official team, they have provided us with a secret base adjacent to their company. On the top it's a storage facility and warehouse but underneath will be our headquarters and living quarters," Heather said as she sat down and Sean stood up.

"We are too comfortable in our lives and after the Demon Storm we feel our place is not on the front line. Jodi's still not happy, especially after what happened to our daughter, but we came to this agreement. By moving here we signed a contract with the government that will pay us enough to properly support you with all your technological needs. Also, with the money Reena had left over from the old Department H, she has reinvested it and will have money coming in that way to support all your team's needs. We do this on two conditions demanded by my wife Jodi. One, Switch is not allowed to join or assist you in any way and two, you stay away from Switch," Sean said with a nervous chuckle.

"We appreciate all you are doing for us. I'm glad to hear Deedra came out of her coma," Mac said.

"Yeah, it's only been a month, and despite her arguments, she has a lot of therapy and recuperating to do yet and her mother feels she can't do that if she's off running around and fighting," Sean said.

"What counts is she is on the mend. Along with Madam Q's connections and financial support, she will fill an administrative role for the team. She reports to me and will be the liaison between Sean and the team and to the government in my absence," Heather said as Mac rolled his eyes.

"What about a team name? Are you sticking with Alpha Flight?" Sean asked.

"Actually, we debated and decided that we needed a fresh start and nothing connected to the original Flight names. We decided on Alpha Prime. This will be the main, best and last incarnation of this team. Alpha Prime will set the positive and powerful legacy we need," Mac said as most of the guys chuckled knowing full well who had picked the name.

"Works for me but I ain't wearing no cheesy costume," Logan said.

"Hey, you should see the costumes Jodi designed. They are fabulous," Heather said.

"And I think we out did ourselves with the new power suits for you and Mac," Sean said with a proud smile.

"I can't wait to try them out," Mac said with an evil childish grin.

"Everything is set so all we need to do is fill the team spots. Both me and Mac will be co-leading this team unless there is any arguments?" Heather asked and when no one objected she continued. "Mac will deal more as field leader while like I said will be handling the more political and other areas of this team," Heather said.

"Since Heather may not be going out into the field as much, we figured me and six others would make a very rounded, solid and manageable team. Heather will keep the Vindicator persona while I take up the Guardian mantle again. We would like to extend the six vacant spots to you Walter and Lillian, Logan if he'll stay, Eugene of course and maybe Nemesis or Earthmover and leaving one spot open for someone we can all vote on," Mac said as he smiled at all his old friends.

"I can tell you right away, that Amelia and Chuck, along with Albert plan on dedicating all their time to Ground Flight and the patients and prisoners we have below," Sean said right away.

"I also have to decline on me and Lil's behalf. Sine moving in together and taking in those kids we've really found a place we belong. As you know I had tried to get out of this once before and that didn't work out, but this time I think it will. I mean if you ever need us in an emergency situation we will help, but for now we want to focus on taking care of and training these kids. If this works, it could lead to opening an actual school for students," Walter said.

"I can understand but I was really hoping to add you to the ranks," Mac said as he wondered if his friend's decision had anything to do with what happened between them when he had left the team before and went to Bergsville.

"Don't take it so hard, Mac. From what I hear there's something else factoring into their decision," Eugene smirked.

"What?" Heather asked looking at Walter.

"Things have been going really well for all of us, especially with Lil. We wanted to keep this low key for now, but you might as well know. We got engaged last night," Walter said with a blush as everyone congratulated him.

"Hope he knows what he's doing and not Lil use him to get one up on Jeffries," Mac whispered as Heather kicked him under the table.

"That is good news. Well that leaves you and Logan," Heather said looking at Eugene.

"You know I'm in for now. Especially with this Weapon Superior out there, but I'm not wearing a matching outfit," Logan said as Heather smiled and winked at him.

"Great, Eugene, we can still count on you right?" Mac asked looking at his old friend.

"As much as I want to, I have to pass for now. Not much is known about my daughter's mother but with the DNA test confirming she is my daughter, I have agreed to go with her on a search to find her. We were able to find a few clues to her whereabouts in Director X's trashed office. We both really need this," Eugene said as he avoided Mac's disappointed look.

"Eugene, you will be missed on this team but I agree this might be good for the two of you," Heather said with a sad smile.

"So it's just the three of us," Mac said purposely not looking at Madam Q.

"Then we better get to recruitin' then," Logan said as he got up.

"Don't worry, we may not be on the team but you will always have our support," Walter said as everyone called out in agreement.

"Thanks, you guys are all great. Here's to the beginning of something great," Mac and Heather said as they all cheered at the future and then they all went their separate ways, for now.

**Next: Issue #29 – Revenge – Part Three & Alpha Flight: Rebuilding – Part Two**


	30. Revenge Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #29 – Revenge – Part Three**

_**The X-Men's Ship**_

"You know these guys?" Iceman asked as soon Avalanche, Slipstream, Magnus and Stacy X had assembled together to take on the Zekk and his Hunters.

"I didn't get to meet them, but I believe that Zekk is the leader of a bunch of bounty hunters that the other X-Men battled when they found Darwin and rescued Dazzler from their collective," Avalanche responded back.

"Dazzler, Hunter Spark, where have you taken her?" Zekk demanded as he moved towards Avalanche.

Magnus, seeing these five as no worse than fighting demons back on his home world took a second to hang back and take them in. Zekk, the leader looked as if he wore vary advanced armor and weaponry. He looked like an armored robot but he knew a human made of flesh lied underneath it all. Magnus then glanced at the other four Hunters. Of course Ch'léa was now among them. She looked like her young self again but now had computer and various cybernetic implants all over her face and body. Just as they all did as this Zekk must have absorbed them into his computer collective turning them into some kind of cyborgs.

There was another that looked more human with dark curly hair but the other two walked on two legs like a human but were more animal like in appearance. One was green and looked like a lizard with scaly snout, claws, tail and all. The other one looked like a dog but had blue fur and wore golden armor. Neither of them needed the cybernetic enhancements to look mean and threatening. He studied the five and then decided the best spell to use on them as he moved his hands, summand his powers and chanted.

"Scitenrebyc Trohs Tou!" Magnus shouted as he released his spell.

Sparks danced from his eyes as Magnus sent electricity from his hands at the Hunters Five. Streams of electricity hit each of the Hunters sending them flying back against the deck. As the X-men regrouped and took a stand beside Magnus they all now faced the Hunters. Iceman man quickly summand his powers and encased the five in a solid block of ice. Avalanche cheered and was about to blow them away but was quickly stopped by Slipstream. The last thing they needed was the Brotherhood member to destroy their ship in the process.

"Nice work you two," Slipstream said with a nod to both Magnus and Iceman.

"What's their beef?" Iceman asked as he eyed the beings in ice.

"Wait, I'm sensing something," Stacy X began to say when the block of ice suddenly shattered into a million pieces freeing the Hunters Five.

"This is no longer a job, it had become personal. No one has ever kept me from bringing in my bounty," Zekk said as he turned to see Magnus beginning to move his hands. "Oh no you don't. You're last trick may have temporarily shut down our enhancements but I've learned from my last encounter," Zekk added as pulled a device out and flung it at Magnus causing it to stab him and stick to his chest.

"It stings but it didn't do any severe damage," Magnus said as he reached for the small box stuck in his chest.

"I wouldn't do that. If you physically try to pull it out or it detects that you are calling on your powers it will detonate," Zekk said causing everyone to pause and look at Magnus with new found concern.

"We don't need our enhansssementsss to kill you," the lizard said as he whipped his tail about and slashed open Stacy X's side with his razor sharp tipped tail.

"Miranda!" Iceman shouted as he ran to the mutant who now lay upon the floor holding her side trying to stop the flow of blood.

"That's cold," Stacy X whispered as Iceman quickly applied his ice powers to her side.

"Leave one alive for questioning. Kill the rest," Zekk said as two large blades extended from his wrist gauntlet and into his hands.

"Now this is what I'm talking about," Avalanche said as he called on his powers as the Hunters Five charged them.

_**Inside the wreckage of a spaceship**_

"Emma, be reasonable. We're both girls from the wrong side of the tracks, I just don't pretend to be one of the good guys," Mystique chocked through the tight grip upon her neck.

"Tell me what game you are playing and I will not ask again," Frost said as her hands and body began to get a tiny bit sharper.

"We got your message. What's going on?" Angel asked as he, Havok and Longshot ran into the room and froze as they saw Océana and Sway on the ground injured and Frost pinning Mystique to the wall.

"Of all the mutants to find it had to be here," Havok said glaring at the blue skinned mutant.

"What happened to these two? I thought Océana was back on the ship," Longshot said as he knelt next to Sway nodding that she seemed find and was just knocked out.

"Hope this works, especially since she's my sister," Angel said as he reverted to his Archangel form and used a sharp wing tip to slice his arms and allow his blood to drop all over his sister's wounds.

"I walked in here to find her disguised as Iceman leaning over Sway. Claims the wall came down on both of them here," Frost said as she kept her eyes and focus on the deadly mutant.

"It's true and the only reason I was looking like Bobby because I was choosing random forms to change into. I heard you guys board and I didn't know who it was thinking that the Others had returned," Mystique said.

"I don't believe you," Frost said applying more pressure.

"We'll know the truth soon enough. It seems my blood is doing the trick even though it seems to be taking longer and working harder than it normally does," Warren said as he reverted back to his Angel form.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Océana asked as she slowly sat up and looked at her brother.

"It's me, your brother. What were you thinking coming down to this ship alone?" Warren asked suddenly feeling a bond that wasn't there before.

"Coming down? Where are the Others? Where's Gabriel and Forge? Wait, I've never seen you before, you're my brother?" Océana asked as she spoke very fast and with a voice filled with excitement and fear.

"Looks like your story isn't making much sense, Mystique," Frost said.

"Mystique? No keep that monster away from me. She's the one that shot Forge and the machine before steeping through the portal as it closed behind her leaving all of us stranded with the Others," Océana cried in horror when she saw the blue skinned mutant.

"You did what?" Longshot asked now fearing for the life of the one he loves.

"I had no choice, Forge wanted to leave it open till everyone made it through. I couldn't let him do that without risk of those evil creatures gaining control of the devise and coming to Earth. I did it to save our planet," Mystique pleaded quickly as Frost began to grow sharper and dig into her skin.

"Even though I can agree with you, you didn't do it to save the Earth, just to save your own hide," Emma said not loosening her hold at all.

"If that's the case, then why masquerade as Océana and come back risking exposure and retaliation for what you did?" Havok asked eyeing her closely.

"I took her form because she is the first one that I could think of that didn't make it back and no one knew well enough to tell it wasn't her and would make things interesting if the world thought me lost in space. Then something came up that left me no choice but to go back with you all," Mystique said.

"Oh, and what could that possibly be?" Frost asked.

"I wasn't feeling well and I took a test and it came up positive. I'm pregnant," Mystique said as Havok and Angel gasped.

"Yeah right, like I'm going to fall for that one," Frost said eyeing her flat belly.

"It's true. If you let me go I will show you what I saw when I reverted back to my true form to see for myself," Mystique said as Havok gave Emma a nod to let her go.

"You try anything, I guarantee I'm lucky enough a shot that I will put you down," Longshot said as he held two small knives in his hands.

"It appears, that due to my shape shifting abilities, it was even concealed from me and I had no idea how far along I actually was," Mystique said as Emma stepped back and released her powers completely.

"Holy cow, you're huge!" Angel shouted as Mystique now had small strands of white in her hair, a few wrinkles and a very large belly.

"I didn't have time to see a doctor when I heard you all were leaving so I had to meet up with you so I could come back and hunt down Magneto to obtain a sample of his DNA to see if he was the father and if so, kill him for what he did to me," Mystique said as this time Emma gasped in shock.

"What do you mean, if he is the father?" Havok asked

"Well, he wasn't the only mutant I have slept with in the past nine months but I figured if I found him I would know if it was him or the other guy," Mystique said.

"Who is the other guy?" Frost asked suddenly feeling a mental stress of worry as she turned razor sharp and pushed to probe the blue woman's mind.

"I'm sorry, Emma, but Scott may be the father as well," Mystique said as the woman made of hard diamond suddenly let out a gasp and then fainted.

_**Epilogue**_

"Jean is that really you?" Professor X asked after what seemed like an eternity of silence after the woman in the dark with him had given her name.

"I'm sorry, but I don't recall ever meeting you, but with no memories it's hard to say if we had," the woman calling herself Jean Grey said.

"Without seeing you physically or mentally I can't tell for sure but touching your face I would swear you are who you say you are but if I had my powers I would know it," Professor X said feeling her face wishing he had his powers.

"Your lack of powers you mention might be a side effect of the serum placed in the food and drink you have been consuming. Don't worry, it isn't poison. It's a special medicine that completely heals and repairs one's body to its full physical health. Now tell me how we know each other. Tell me about you," Jean said.

Professor X paused as he realized that he was suddenly feeling better than he's ever felt and that he sensed a new found strength in his legs he hadn't felt since his youth. Charles stood up and gave his body and legs a test drive as he did his best to dance around and stretch in the dark. Suddenly remembering he wasn't alone, he turned back toward the direction of Jean and sat back down in front of her.

"My name is Charles Xavier, but many know me as Professor X. I am a mutant born with great mental powers. I formed a school to help young mutants learn how to use their powers and to make a better world for them and normal humans live in peaceful coexistence. At my school you were one of five students that I gathered together to form a team called the X-Men. You were one of my prized students with great mental powers as well and went by the name Marvel Girl or sometimes, Phoenix," Charles said as he pushed to find and use his powers to connect with hers.

"You heard his confession. He has admitted to being Xavier, leader of the traitors and thief of the Totems of Power," Jean said in a voice that was no longer hers.

"The Totems? What is going on? Jean?" Professor X asked in panic as the room suddenly filled up with light.

Charles jumped to his feet to find that he was standing in the middle of a large room surrounded from all side by nineteen very large alien looking robots, each a different color. Each was the size of a sentinel and looked like a robot but their glowing bodies looked as soft as flesh. Charles turned as the woman calling herself Jean shifted and became a human sized version of the other nineteen and floated, glowing faintly and looking sick, to an empty spot among the others. Charles choked as his past came crashing around him and he found himself surrounded by the twenty beings he had thought they had killed.

"Benjamin Charles Xavier, you stand before the assembled counsel of the Celestial Majestics. You are charged for the betrayal and theft of the Totems of Power and responsibility for the loss and destruction of the Totem of the Phoenix. How do you plead?" One of the alien looking robots asked.

"I…guilty," Xavier finally said with a huge sigh as he dropped his head and bowed for forgiveness.

_**The fate of Charles will be revealed soon in a forthcoming X-Men crossover event…watch for it!**_

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**Rebuilding – Part Two**

_**Alpha Prime Headquarters – Deep Below the Storage Warehouse of Ground Flight Industries**_

"This is a real nice setup here," Wolverine said as he looked around the computer room.

"Yeah, Sean and Jodi have done a lot for us," Mac said as he sported his new Guardian suit.

"Don't forget, we owe a huge thanks to Reena too," Heather said as she sent an apologetic look to Madam Q who just shrugged off Mac's usual rudeness.

"Suit does look nice," Logan said with a touch of sarcasm.

Mac's suit was a full body suit that covered his whole body, including his face. The suit was made out of a material that gave it a shiny armored look that gave great protection and resistance to injury and most weaponry and elements but allowed maneuverability as if it were spandex. The suit was all red except for the boots, gloves and face mask that were white. A large white "A" was marked across his chest. Besides his suits powers and abilities, a communication system was built into the mask to allow instant contact between headquarters and the rest of the team. This feature was and would be a primary feature in every member's outfit.

"Well, can't wait to see you in yours," Mac smiled as he nodded to the suit hanging on the nearby wall.

Logan glanced at the suit that Heather had Jodi make for him. It was designed to look exactly like his Wolverine suit but made out of the same material as Mac's suit and bore the same red and white colors and giant "A" on his chest. The only differences were that it was only a suit and not equipped with powers and the pieces of the white face mask that covered his eyes and moved up to a point were red and the area over his mouth and nose were left exposed.

"I am not wearing that," Logan huffed.

"You know you will," Heather said giving him a big smile that told Mac that she would get her way as always.

"When do we get to see the Vindicator suit?" Mac asked.

"In due time, you will. Since I am focusing on my current role and not actually going into the field there is no need to wear it. Don't worry, I am and will continue to log practice and training time in the suit so I am more than ready if called into battle," Heather said as stood next to Madam Q who was sitting at the computer console.

"What about the four remaining spots on the team?" Madam Q asked getting them to the point of them being here.

"We should offer the spots to other Alphans who we trust and have earned a right to do so," Mac suggested.

"I agree," Heather said as Logan shrugged not really having an opinion.

"Who do we have?" Mac asked as Madam Q began to type.

"As per Heather, I sent another invitation to Madison Jeffries. He has declined for now and for the foreseeable future. He is focusing on his wife, new daughter and their soon to be adopted son, Jayson Landon," Madam Q said.

"I'm glad they were able to take the kid in after he lost his whole family in the destruction of Bergville. He handled himself well as Predator but he needs to be in a loving family environment again," Heather said as she hoped they could survive living so close in Pennsylvania to his wife's parents.

"I've still been unable to reach Snowbird," Madam Q said.

"If I know her, she needs time to lick her wounds and heal, both physically and spiritually. She'll be back when she's ready," Mac said as Heather nodded in agreement.

"What about Kara or Jaimon?" Heather asked.

"Kara has responded that for now her days as Persuasion and Commander are over. She now sees her powers being taken away as a blessing and a chance at trying to start and live a normal life," Madam Q responded.

"I know Silver is going through a hard time losing her brother, but she would do better with us than alone. I think if I pay her a visit I can convince her to join the team," Mac said.

"Good, we can put her down on the list with both Radius and Murmur. I think enough time has passed that I can sit down with them and convince them to join us," Heather said.

"I think they are good choices," Mac said in agreement.

"Any other thoughts on who to add to the list of potential recruits, Alphans or otherwise? Mac, Logan?" Heather asked.

"Sean said that Jean-Paul is up and moving and just moping around the building. I think he should be brought onto the team. We could use him and he could use us to help get past the loss of his sister," Logan said.

"I think that is a good idea. It seems the rest of the Zodiac Flight has started to wake and recover. Sean needs our help to decide what to do with them all and I was thinking maybe pay them all a visit and evaluate them to see if any of them could be good recruits?" Heather suggested with a shrug.

"I think that might not be a bad idea. I also have someone in mind that I would like to bring onto the team," Mac said as he went into deep thought.

"While you two are doing that, I have a couple recruits in mind that might add something we need to this team, especially if we are to deal with Weapon Superior," Wolverine said.

"Who do you two have in mind?" Heather asked as her curiosity peeked.

"I'll tell ya if they pan out and I get back," Wolverine said as he began to leave the room.

"Fine, but don't forget the suit," Heather called out as Wolverine grabbed his new suit and left the room swearing up a storm.

"I can just imagine who he might try to bring here," Mac said rolling his eyes.

"Speaking of, who're you thinking of asking?" Heather asked.

"I think for now its better you not know," Mac said as Heather glared at him.

"I really don't want to base this team on secrets Mac. We have to trust each other here and be open and honest," Heather said.

"I've already talked to her a little and she may join us but we have to keep her identity secret for now," Mac said as he moved Heather away from Madam Q's earshot.

"Who, Mac?" Heather whispered.

"Switch wants to come back and I think we need her on this team," Mac said as Heather froze in place fully understanding why he needed this kept secret.

"But, Sean and Jodi," Heather began to protest.

"Heather, she's a grown woman and can make her own choices. Let's see how our talks with her go and decide then. First, lets go get the rest of Alpha Prime recruits," Mac said as he drug Heather out of the room, avoiding her glares.

**Next: Issue #30 – Revenge – Part Four & Alpha Flight: Rebuilding – Part Three**


	31. Revenge Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #30 – Revenge – Part Four**

_**The X-Men's Ship**_

"You will tell me where I will find Spark and my bounty," Zekk said as he landed in front of Avalanche, blades ready for the kill.

"I don't know where they are. We've been trying to find them ourselves," Avalanche said as he caused the ground to shake under the bounty hunters feet.

"Be careful there, Dominic. We don't want our ship to be destroyed," Iceman said as he shot ice pellets at Ch'léa.

"What do I care about this ship," Avalanche said rolling his eyes as the floor began to crack causing Zekk to leap and roll to avoid getting caught in its path.

"Well, if the ship id destroyed then you'll never see Tessa-2 again," Iceman smirked as he noticed Avalanche becoming more focused and in control of his powers.

"I will enjoy killing you," Ch'léa said as she a loud humming noise came from her body and she raised her arms at him.

"Guys, I think their systems have rebooted and they have power again," Iceman said as he watched his attacker fire off her weapons.

Dozens of small, what looked like gold coins, shot from Ch'léa's wrists. As they got closer Iceman could see that they were actually fast spinning discs with small sharp blades on them. As he threw out his ice powers he saw that they were easily slicing through them so he had to take on a new method before he was made into cubes. He created an ice wall between him and the sharp discs. Luckily, he had made it thick enough that the gold killing coins stopped half way through the block of ice. Iceman glanced at Stacy X and noting that she was still stable, made an ice sled and moved towards Ch'léa.

"How could you abandon your bother so soon? What he must think," Iceman said as he maneuvered out of the path of more deadly coins.

"What he thinks doesn't matter. After Zekk gave me my looks back, I killed my brother for what he did to me," Ch'léa said as large golden discs formed on the palm of her hands and began spinning with deadly speed.

Iceman jumped out of the way but found he wasn't as fast as the golden cyborg lady. He felt a strange sensation as it was followed by a buzz cutting sounds. When he hit the ground he rolled over to see that a few feet from him was his left arm and his right foot. It appeared that Ch'léa had managed to slice off his arm with one blade while taking his foot with the other. He began to scream from the pain, which at this point he wasn't sure if it was physical or just psychological. Never the less, the devastation was to overwhelming to keep quiet.

"I wondered if you would bleed but I guess your ice form protects you. Now to finish the job," Ch'léa said as she steppe dup to Iceman and raised her arm for a killing blow.

Iceman closed his eyes and raised his remaining arm in anticipation for the blow that was coming while he continued to scream out in pain and anger. After a few seconds he opened his eyes when the blow hadn't come. He was amazed to see, inches from his face was Ch'léa frozen solid in a large block of ice. Still in shock over the loss of his appendages, he allowed a still week and wounded Stacy X to crawl up behind him and hold him.

"Time so finisss thisss one off," the cyber enhanced lizard said as his tail sparked and he moved towards the two injured X-Men.

"Not if I can help it," Slipstream said as he ignited a devise on his costumes belt.

An object ejected out and began to take form. Just as the surfboard had finished taking full shape, Slipstream was already upon it and calling on his powers. Eyes and hands glowing with power, he charged straight at the lizard. Right before the tail was about to strike, the lizard turned to look over it's shoulder to see a man riding a surfboard towards him. Slipstream called on his powers and focused on an area outside the ship. Stacy X and Iceman flinched as warp energy wrapped around Slipstream and the lizard causing them to vanish from sight.

"He should be easy to take care of," the Prince turned Hunter said.

"Now that we are back online he will die brutally," Derf the dog-like Hunter added.

Magnus stood and watched his attackers carefully as they took stance on both sides of him. Wade wasn't the least bit worried. He had dealt with demons far worse than these two. He had feared he was softening and loosing his edge after coming to this dimension and joining Salem-X, but joining the X-Men on their space mission to find their friends and relatives, he was getting his skills and powers honed again and he was starting to like having his edge back. He looked at each opponent and saw that they both carried enhanced swords. It was time to play it old school, SilverFlame style.

"Sdrows Fo Rewop!" Magnus invoked with a smile.

Electricity crackled from his eyes as electrical energy danced around his hands. In mere moments, Wade Harkus had a sword made of pure electricity in each hand. As his attackers charged he invoked a few enhancement spells and leapt up in an electrical charged back flip. As he leapt out of their way he had also sliced up with his swords causing them to slice through each of the Hunter's arms. Because they were made of electricity, the swords did not cut but instead passed through discharging powerful electrical surges into the opponent's bodies. Wade landed as both attackers dropped their swords, the dog out of shock and the Prince out of pain.

Magnus quickly spun and made a swiping motion as he sliced both swords through the Prince's body. Magnus stopped turning and faced the cyber-dog humanoid with both swords ready as the Prince fell to the ground unconscious and his cybernetic parts sparking. Magnus, wanting to keep the advantage, lunged forward and planted both swords into the dog's body. The Hunter grunted in pain but did not move. The Hunter swung his paw like fists and slamming them hard in each side of Wade's head.

"Takes more than that to put me down," Derf said as Magnus fell to the ground, clutching his head in pain as his swords began to dissipate and vanish.

"Egac!" Magnus shouted as he tried to cast one last spell while trying to keep from blacking out.

Electricity crackled as the remaining electricity from the swords left the Hunter's chest and joined with knew energy from Wade's hand and formed a solid cage made of electricity around the Derf. Derf shouted in anger as he was trapped and unable to escape his electrical prison. Magnus touched his face and winced in pain. He had been hit really hard. Just as he was about to get up he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. He looked to see an energy wound and then looked up to see Zekk walking towards him with a gun.

"Your time is up, energy man," Zekk said as Magnus looked over and saw Avalanche lying on the ground, blood everywhere with no indications if he was dead or alive.

"Not by a long shot," Magnus said as he began to call on his powers.

Zekk quickly shot a devise onto the ceiling above Magnus. Instantly all the electricity around and shooting from Magnus was sucked up and into the devise on the ceiling causing a painful backlash. Zekk had learned and deployed a devise that absorbs and feeds on electricity. Magnus was powerless and was still fighting to keep awake from his serious blow to the head. He heard Iceman call out and raise his hand, but Zekk moved his arm with great speed and sent a blast from his gun that hit Iceman's remaining hand causing it to shatter into a million pieces. Iceman fell back screaming into Stacy X.

"Now, I have to make this quick and be on my way. Thanks to your talkative friend, I've learned there are others on that abandoned ship not to far from here and among them are those I am looking for," Zekk said as he brought his gun up to Wade's face.

"No!" Slipstream screamed as he appeared out of nowhere, leapt off his board and sent it with great force at the Hunter.

Zekk turned just as the surfboard hit him and sent him flying across the room pinning him to the wall from the waist. Slipstream helped Magnus to his feet as they looked over and saw the Hunter dangling from the wall, his legs almost severed off and his upper body unmoving and shooting sparks everywhere. Slipstream looked around and was devastated at the condition he now found his teammates in. They may have won, but at a cost and they still had two Hunters caged to worry about. Slipstream was trying to think what to do next when he heard a strange beeping noise.

"I will still have my revenge," Zekk sputtered out as he slowly reached over and pressed a button on his glove.

"Self-destruct activated," a computer voice crackled from Zekk's body.

Slipstream panicked as Zekk pressed another button on his glove causing a weird blue flash around his eyes and then his body went dead as Zekk's spaceship exploded in a large ball of fire and then the X-Men's ship following suit seconds after.

_**Epilogue**_

"Out of my way. I want her dead as the lies she's telling," Emma Frost said as Havok tried to keep her away from Mystique.

"It's true. During my time at the X-Mansion I posed as you as a joke. Scott thought I was you and it accidently got out of hand and one thing lead to another," Mystique smirked as she decided that is was safer to stay in her true form exposing her belly, despite the grey hair and wrinkles.

"She's making it up," Emma spat.

"Whether it's true or not, she is carrying a child and I can't let you harm her. Once the baby's born, then we'll see," Havok said as he glared at the foul creature that might be carrying his nephew.

"This is way too much," Sway said as she and Océana had fully recovered and had sat back to catch up and enjoy being reunited, yet again.

"It's amazing, I have no memories or recognition of you, but yet my very soul tells me we have a bond," Angel said as he was coming to terms with no longer being an only child.

"I know," Océana said, still shy and unsure.

"Charles will pay for what he did and took from us," Angel said as he got up to watch the situation of Havok and Emma on one end and Longshot and Mystique on the other.

"I," Longshot began to say when some great force caused the ship to shake and them to all fall to the ground.

"What was that?" Havok asked looking at Emma who turned sharp and reached out with her mind.

"I can't pick anything up," Emma said as she looked at the others.

Suddenly a wave of energy appeared and unfolded before them as five figures dropped out of it. Havok and the others gasped at the sight of their comrades. Avalanche lie on the ground covered in blood and unmoving. Iceman also laid there with a missing foot, hand and arm. To his side was Stacy X who looked very pale and had a large wound on her body that was being held shut by a patch of ice that appeared to be melting. Leaning next to Slipstream was Magnus, whose eyes were swollen and much of his face black and blue. Slipstream for the most part just looked very exhausted and drained.

"I pushed my powers like never before and barely got us out alive," Slipstream said.

"Oh my, what happened?" Sway asked.

"Zekk and his new Hunters Five attacked us and beat us up pretty bad but we stopped them. This isn't the worst of it, Zekk not only managed to blow up his and our ship, but the waves form the explosions has his this vessel. We are all now on a dead ship moving at an unknown speed through space," Slipstream sighed.

Everyone took a second to take this all in and then went to work. First they would take care of each other and the wounded and then worry about where they were headed after that.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**Rebuilding – Part Three**

_**The Alpha Embassy – Headquarter Sight for the New Alpha Flight**_

_**The Present**_

"Thank you, your Majesty," Heather Hudson said as she paused allowing the audience and news crews to clap and take pictures before taking her place at the podium.

Heather as well as Mac and the others never thought they would see this day again, especially after all that had happened with the Demon Storm. Now, with the support of Parliament and all of Canada Alpha Flight has been reformed to help serve and protect her country and its people. They had decided to pick a new name and work with the support of the government but without their interference. They were free to operate as a free entity with full authority as long as they didn't cross the line or abuse their power. It was a great deal and they were all ready to pull their team together when Parliament threw them a curve ball.

They first showed a grand gesture by offering to build the Alpha Embassy. It was meant as place for Heather and Reena to work and a headquarters for the team to gather and meet. It was only given to them as a visible symbol to show the people that Parliament backed them and that they were not hiding from the public. They had no choice but to agree but had every intention to sweep for bugs. The headquarters wasn't the curveball. That would be their final "request".

They wanted them to stick with the name Alpha Flight since that was a name widely known by all and for the most part, trusted. They also wanted all members' identities to be public as to prevent secrets and surprises. They could have whoever they wanted on the team, but would have to pick people who were willing to give up any privacy. It had given them pause, but after Heather had talked intensely with both Mac and Logan, they had pushed forward with the plan and began forming the team they, Parliament and the people of Canada would love and respect.

"I am glad you all could be here on this historic day. As previously stated, Parliament has given full support and freedom to my team. Our mission will be to serve and protect everyone to the full extent of our abilities. Even though we don't report, answer or are controlled by parliament we will keep no secrets and will never abuse our power. We are here for the good of Canada.

"As in the past, when the need arises I will serve as Vindicator, but for the most part I will be acting as the liaison between us and Parliament and working here out of the Alpha Embassy. Here to my right is Reena D'Quem, our Administrator and by back up and right hand person. Between the two of us we will keep all informed and team running to its full potential. Now to give you all what you have been waiting and hoping for, I'm proud to present Alpha Flight," Heather said as the crowd cheered and sent flashes from their cameras when six figures stepped out of the Embassy and stood proudly behind Heather.

_**Flight Industries – The Past**_

"Does Parliament's so called small influence going to affect this setup at all?" Sean asked as he, Heather and Mac took a secret elevator down below the company known as Flight Industries.

"Not at all. We agreed to do this right and this will keep out the secrets," Heather said.

"We already had an emergency call out to Logan and after a while we all came to an agreement on going forward with our plan. I don't truly trust any government or Madam Q but that's why we had you set up the transporters to take us from this new Embassy to our real private quarters here," Mac said.

"Yes and those are almost done and once the Embassy is built we can get in and stall the devises that will secretly bring you here," Sean said.

"How are Jodi and Deedra doing?" Heather asked as they made their way down a corroder.

"They are doing better. I am surprised at how fast Dee has healed. She has even become sweet and has stopped her obsession with joining Alpha Flight and sworn to quit wearing the Switch costume. Jodi isn't as angry with you all any more and has almost finished the framework for all the costumes," Sean said.

"Great, and we plan on keeping the strict six member roster. Well, seven if you count Heather," Sean said and Heather gave him a quick glance.

"That's fine, but Jodi has decided to make a few extra for back up or if the roster changes. You know her, prepare for anything. I think it is the best work we've done and almost rivals Stark. The suites will protect like armor but look and move like spandex. Also, a secure communication system will be installed within them all," Sean said with a smile.

"That is great. Once we get the final roster setup we will let you know so that Jodi and customize the suit," Heather said as two figure came walking their way. "Jodi, Deedra, good to see you."

"Same here," Jodi said with a weak smile.

"Glad to see you up and about kiddo," Mac said as he gave Deedra a big hug.

"Thanks," Deedra said as Heather almost chocked at the sight of Mac slipping something into the girl's hand.

"We better get moving," Heather said as she sighed with relief when she realized that Jodi and Sean had missed it completely.

"Yes, we still have a team to fill and time's running out," Mac said as he stepped back allowing Deedra and Jodi to continue heading where they were going and allow them to press on with their mission.

_**The Alpha Embassy - The Present**_

"First I give you Alpha Flight's field leader, James "Mac" Hudson, the Guardian," Heather said beginning the introductions as Guardian waved in his red suit with white boots, gloves, mask and large "A" on his chest.

"Next is James "Logan" Howlett, the Wolverine." Logan grunted as he stood in his red and white Alpha Flight costume. Heather smiled in her victory.

"Next to Wolverine is Jaimon Kwan, Shiver." A woman wearing an armored body suit that was split in half by two colors nodded shyly. The right side was a silvery white while the left half was a shimmery red. Just like the others she bore an "A" on her chest but chose not to wear a face mask.

_**New York – The Past**_

"There's nothing I can do to change your minds?" Heather asked as she sat across from Arlette Truffet.

"No, we're both done. With everything we've been through with Department H and the Flight Programs, the death of Adrian was the last straw. Jared has pulled deep inside himself and even though I came right out from the Zodiac effect, my powers have become unreliable. He just need to finally take this chance to step away and try to start over fresh," Arlette said as she glanced over at Jared who remained sitting in a chair playing a video game and never looking up.

"That's hard to hear but I can understand. I always felt your group was never given a fair chance and I know you would make great members with our new team," Heather said as she glanced over at Jared and tried to hold back her tears for his pain.

"I really believe you guys are trying to do things right this time, but like I said. We're done," Arlette said as she got up and glanced towards the door.

"I'll go then, but know if you need anything just let us know," Heather said as she got up and headed to the door and stopped when her cell phone rang.

"Hi, Mac. No, they won't and there's nothing I can say or do to change their mind. What about Silver? That's great to hear and I'm glad she's willing to move on and try to establish an identity for herself again. I'm heading out now and will meet you back at Flight Industries. See you soon," Heather said as she put away her phone and walked out of Jared and Arlette's apartment.

"Is she gone?" A voice whispered from behind a bedroom door.

"Yes, Adriane, she's gone. You know I really hate lying like this," Jared said jumping up as his brother came out of the bedroom.

"We don't have a choice. We have to do this if we truly want to be left alone and live our lives," Arlette said as she kissed Jared and smiled at Adriane.

_**The Alpha Embassy - The Present**_

"We are also proud to have the famous Jean-Paul Beaubier, Northstar back on the team." Northstar, sporting his red costume with white boots, gloves and "A" on his chest but no face mask either, smiled and waved to his fans.

"Next to him is Whitman Knapp, Manikin," Heather said as she nodded at a man in a matching red and white costume, including a white eye mask.

_**Flight Industries – The Past**_

"Jean-Paul, I'm so sorry," Heather said giving the dark haired man a big hug.

"Thanks, Heather but I'll be fine. Between her split personalities and her disappearing so much we haven't been close or seen each other for some time. Just when we might have a chance to reconnect, the Storm hits and," Northstar starts to say and then pauses to wipe his tears away.

"I think rejoining the Flight will help you as well as us," Mac said as he took a seat at his desk across from Heather and Jean-Paul.

"I think so too. I was one of the lucky ones to come out of the Z Flight, Zodiac and Nemesis transformations without any problems," Northstar said.

"That's part of why we stopped by today, besides bringing you back into the fold," Mac said.

"With the coma-like sleep you all went into from Nemesis's swords wearing off, Sean and Jodi asked us to come back and make some evaluations. Whitman Knapp went into a power change. Seems the Zodiac split him into three while discarding his normal form and when Nemesis used her sword it reverted him back," Heather said.

"Unfortunately he can no longer call his three forms or turn into them. The good news is that he can call on a small fraction of each of their powers. Heather feels like we owe him and I think he can still be useful so he's agreed to join our new team," Mac said.

"What about the others? What about Colin?" Northstar asked with a twinkle in his smile.

"Windshear can't even breathe without blowing a hole in the wall. Sean has him in a containment room till he can be treated and gain control of his powers again. Double Trouble has left one of them still in a coma and the other powerless because or this. Sean and Jodi are going to let her stay here till her sister wakes up since she has become pleasant and agreed to help out around here," Heather said.

"As for Killspree and Wyre, they are too dangerous to keep here and are being shipped to a prison for super human criminals. Marrina seems to have lost all memory and we have allowed her to return to the only thing she remembers, her life in the sea. As for Kyle, he was really become Wild Child. It seems all of this has triggered his mutation and he has once again become very feral mentally as well as physically. Until we can reverse the effects, tame him or get him in touch with his humanity again, he'll be safer caged up down below," Mac said.

"What about the surviving members of Omega Flight?" Northstar asked.

"All of them were severely injured, but as a favor to Eugene and Reena, Sean as agreed to leave them here while he and Reena tend to their recovery. They are in real bad shape," Heather said.

"Hey, Mac, got all the paper work and files updated and all of Omega Flight transported into the new medical wing here," Whitman said as he popped his head into the room.

"Great," Mac said as he moved towards the door.

"Hey, welcome to the team," Northstar waved.

"Thanks, you too," Whitman said as Mac walked him back out of the room.

"Did you take care of?" Mac asked with a low whisper.

"Got it all done," Whitman whispered back and then called out, "better go now. Jodi is waiting for my costume fitting."

"I have to do that too. I'll join ya," Northstar said as he zipped to Knapp's side and lead him down the hall.

"What was that whispering about?" Heather asked.

"Oh, nothing," Mac smiled with a wink as Heather shook her head wondering just what she was allowing herself to get into.

_**The Alpha Embassy - The Present**_

"Last but not least I present to you, in honor of his later brother Major Mapleleaf, Bucky Sadler, our Captain Canada," Heather said as the crowed roared at the man in a red outfit with white boots and gloves. On is chest was the Canadian flag and he wore a white "C" upon the forehead of his red face mask. In his left arm he held a large red and white shield with a leaf in the center of it. He clearly looked like the Canadian version of Captain America.

_**Deep in the Canadian Woods – The Past**_

"And here I thought I'd finally seen the last of you," A voice called out from above.

"Thanks for coming, Carol," Logan said as one of his oldest friends landed next to him.

"I almost didn't come thinking it was a hoax. I heard you and a bunch of the X-Men were still off on some mission in space. Why didn't you tell us you were all back," Carol Danvers said.

"Actually, the others are still lost out there. Somehow, I managed to jump into a portal and ended up back here. From what Mac and Heather have told me, a team has gone back out to look for the others so in the meantime I've decided to run with Alpha Flight," Logan said as he lit up a cigar.

"Running with the Department again? What would make you crazy enough to get mixed up with them again?" Carol asked.

"It's different this time. Department H and Weapon X are no more. Mac and Heather are forming a new team free from outside control. Kind of like the Avengers had been at one time, free agents doing good," Logan said.

"Still doesn't tell me why you are sticking around with them and why you needed to see me. Fury wasn't too keen on releasing me from my duties," Carol said with a tone Logan had picked up as saying she was growing board of her life as an agent S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Because a man calling himself Weapon Superior murdered all but a handful of us Weapons and turned himself in the ultimate killing machine vowed on finishing the rest of us off and anyone ever associated with Weapon X, Plus or Department H. So I need to stick around to make sure he doesn't finish the job and I thought it might be nice to have some of my friends on my team to help take him out and so I called ya," Logan said.

"So the others turned you down?" Carol laughed.

"That and I really wasn't sure about them anyways. I called you because you're one of my oldest friends and I can think of no one else I'd trust to watch my back," Wolverine said. "Plus, you got the back up power we need."

"I really don't know. After I got kicked out of the Avengers for my drinking problem, Nick really helped me out by giving me a job and helping me sober up. Now, I haven't said yes, but either way Fury has an old friend that he would like for you to meet and place on your team," Carol said.

"You got to be kidding me, I am no baby sitter for someone who can't cut his team," Logan said.

"Actually, he's not a bad guy and we all agree, including him that he would benefit running around with a bunch of Super Heroes again. If you promise to put him on your team I promise to think about your offer," Carol said.

"I'll run this by Mac and Heather to see what they say. Now I'm starting to wonder if you are a real friend or a spy for Nick," Logan said with a look of worry on his face.

"Guess you'll never now, sweetie. Now let's go meet our friend," Carol said as she blew Logan a kiss and took flight while Logan rolled his eyes and ran off after her with a chuckling snort.

_**The Alpha Embassy - The Present**_

After about an hour of questions and photo opportunities, Heather thanked the crowed and lead everyone into the Alpha Embassy She looked at the team and hoped she and Mac and made the right decision. It made her nervous but she felt good about the team. She thanked Reena for her help and relieved her to her office while Heather took the team into another room that lead to each of their temporary quarters when staying at the Embassy. Once they entered the room, Heather closed the door behind her and pressed a button on her watch.

After a sudden flash, she nodded as everyone each walked into their own rooms. After each Alpha Flight member closed their bedroom door a faint zap could be heard from the other side. Heather glanced down at her watch and when it registered that all six rooms were empty; she walked over to her room and went in closing the door behind her with a mirrored zap as she vanished into thin air.

_**Epilogue**_

"Hey, this isn't our headquarters back at Flight Industries," Northstar said.

"Yes and no. It's a very private and secure place near there. Thanks to Manikin, we have a secret headquarters," Guardian said.

"What is going on?" Shiver asked feeling a bit nervous.

"We are legit as Alpha Flight and going to do all that we planned and promise to do, but with a twist. It's always good to have some surprises that the public or Parliament don't know about or control," Heather said as three figures walked into the room.

There was a woman in an all white outfit and face mask with red gloves, boots, "A" on her chest and hooded cloak. A woman in a costume with the same color style as the Guardian and Wolverine with just a red eye mask covering her face and another woman wearing a completely all red tight fitting outfit that covered her whole body with the "A" on her chest and the lenses over her eyes on her face mask being white. The last member was a guy wearing a suite that looked almost just like Guardians but had more of a futuristic high-tech look to it.

"Meet your other team members, Mystic, Warbird, Switchblade and High-tech. Out there we are Alpha Flight, but with the addition of them, we are secretly Alpha Prime" Guardian said with a smile as his and Heather's team had finally come together.

**Next: Issue #31 – Krakoa – Part One & Alpha Flight: The New Team – Part One**


	32. Krakoa Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #31 – Krakoa – Part One**

_**An Unknown Planet – Somewhere in Space**_

"You think we'll ever get home?" Storm asked as she stared out across the ocean.

"One never knows, but would it be so bad to remain here?" Magneto asked as he came up behind the storm goddess and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's peaceful here and I do enjoy the company but I do miss my friends and the real world too," Storm said as she rotated around to look the man behind her in the eyes.

"Real world? You think we can only be in a place like this?" Magneto said as he pushed the woman in his arms back.

"That's not what I meant," Storm said getting defensive.

"I know what you meant, here there is no judgment but out there I am evil. Just so you know, I am only evil because others try to make me so. What I do, what I've ever done was in the protection of our kind," Magneto said as he began to walk way.

"Erik, stop," Storm called out as the sky began to boom with thunder.

"I would never have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes," Henry McCoy the X-Man called Beast said as he looked down upon the beach from the bank of woods.

"Being stranded on an island can make strange bedfellows," Colossus said.

"But, Ororo and Magneto?" Beast asked with a look.

"He's not that bad a guy and he does treat her right," Colossus responded.

"I forgot, you used to be one of his Acolytes," Beast said as he got to his feet and looked down, still amazed at how furless they now were.

"I don't always agree with his methods but everyone deserves a chance at redemption and from what I understood from Charles that Erik had become a different man while they had been on Genosha. As much as I hate to defend the man, he has proven himself on this island," Colossus said.

"You're right. There have been many, X-Men and Avengers alike that have righted their wronged paths," Beast said as he rubbed his flesh toned hands.

"How are you doing my old, I guess not so furry, friend?" Colossus asked with a chuckle hoping to change the subject.

"Good, all things considered. It's been so long since I've not had a fur coat that I feel somewhat bare," Henry McCoy said as he rubbed his hands.

"What about the rest of your abilities?" Colossus asked.

"I just lost the fur and animal like features but I still have my strength, agility and such. I'm the real fortunate one," Beast said as looked over a large elephant splashing in the water.

"I couldn't agree more. As much as I don't like the Brotherhood, poor Max is stuck looking like a full grown elephant. If it wasn't for his second mutation we would have no way of communicating with him," Colossus said.

"Maybe when we find our way home I can look into reversing the effects from Animala's amulet. Any sign of Creed?" Beast asked.

"No, but it seems he was stuck half way between you two. He's half man half sabretooth. I got a glance before he vanished into the woods and looks like a large sasquatch or big foot," Colossus said.

"Well, I can't say I'd be sorry to see him left behind," Beast said as they both laughed.

"I wonder how funny they would find it if I skinned that hairless beast?" N'Lea, the alien called Wingblade asked with spite.

"You have to understand that their history with Creed goes way back and it's not good. Back on our planet Sabretooth was one major villain," Juggernaut said as he came up behind the woman.

"People can change and I know there is good in him. Besides, from what I've gathered, wasn't Magneto one of their greatest enemies and she's bedding with him and you weren't exactly pals with them in the beginning," Wingblade said as she glared at the large muscular man.

"Trust me, Creed's bad news and you're blinded by your love for him," Cain Marko said as he turned away from her.

"Okay, then what about the one you called Lifeguard? I know there wasn't much special about her and time has passed since her death but no one seems to be talking about her and I know, for what ever reason, a few of you were even sweet on her," Wingblade said bringing up the former mutant only to make a point. Honestly, she was glad that her competition was gone.

"Yeah," Cain signed for a moment and then turned to the woman, "We all feel bad about what happened to her but honestly, most of us here barely knew her so it makes it tough. I guess when you're thrown into a situation like this it can cause a person to change or adapt in different ways." Cain smiled and then put a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Roar!" Came a growl as a large beast leapt from the woods hitting Cain and pushing him back away from the woman.

"Victor, stop!" Wingblade screamed as the large bigfoot looking creature wrestled and clawed at Juggernaut.

"Off me mongrel," Cain said as he landed a punch that sent Sabretooth flying out across the beach.

"It's Creed," Colossus said as he and Beast jumped to their feet as the transformed mutant landed not too far from them.

"Wonder what brought him of hiding after all this time?" Beast asked as Sabretooth turned towards them.

"Kill," Sabretooth said making the word sound more like a growl then English.

"Not if I can help it," Colossus said as he used his powers to transform his flesh into organic steel.

Sabretooth leapt at Colossus and Beast. With great speed, agility and strength, shoved Colossus aside and brought his sharp claws down on Beast. A load scream roared as Sabretooth's claws slashed right across Beast's chest tearing his shirt. Colossus grabbed the feral mutant and threw him away from his friend and stopped in surprise as he realized the scream had come from Sabretooth's claws shattering as they had hit Beast's chest which had somehow become a plate of armor, much like that of an armadillo and turtle's shell.

"How?" Colossus asked as he stared at his friend.

"I don't know," Beast said as he felt his chest and it began to revert back to flesh.

"All of you please stop," Wingblade said as she came flying down to the beach towards them as Sabretooth leapt into the air and Colossus ran to meet his attacker.

"Yes, all of you stop," Magneto said as he a great magnetic force grabbed hold of Colossus and threw back away from Sabretooth while a bolt of lightening struck Creed sending him back the other direction.

"I had the situation under control," Magneto grumbled.

"I thought we were a team?" Ororo asked with a smirk as Juggernaut and Mammomax ran toward them.

"Kill," Sabretooth growled trying to get up as his body began to heal and his singed hair, fur and flesh slowly grew back.

"Victor," Wingblade pleaded as she knelt down beside him causing him to growl and then calm down as he looked and sniffed her in recognition.

"I wish we could find Animala or a way to reverse the effects on all of us," Mammomax said as his secondary mutation kicked in making his trunk noises translate into words in all of their minds.

"Yes," Beast said as he scratched behind the elephant's ears not knowing how much he agreed with him now that he was human.

"We," Storm began to say when a strange sound came out of nowhere, interrupting her.

They all turned to see an object come soaring over the ocean and crash land in the middle of the beach. They all moved quickly towards the object except Wingblade who stayed behind to keep Creed calm and under control. As they approached the object they found that it was a man with semi long brown hair and a battle worn outfit lying upon a quickly melting chunk of ice. The man slowly raised himself up and smiled at Storm.

"If it isn't the annoying Gambit," Magneto said as he glared at the Cajun mutant.

"Remy, it is so good to see you," Storm said at her old friend.

"What happened to you?" Colossus asked as he gave him a helping hand up.

"I woke up on a floating piece of debris in the middle of the ocean with some of the mutates. Unfortunately we were attacked and the mutates sacrificed their lives to save me," Gambit said as he recalled the last mutate using his hot and cold powers to help send him racing out of harm's way.

"Mutates, really?" Beast said with curiosity.

"What attacked you?" Magneto asked.

"That thing," Gambit said point towards the ocean as they all looked out to sea.

"Krakoa," Storm and Colossus said with surprise and fear as they watched the fast moving land mass moving towards them.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**The New Team – Part One**

_**Downtown - Alberta, Canada**_

"Okay guys, this is your first mission the public are watching so don't blow it," Heather said over their communication systems built into their suits.

"Don't worry, we wont let you or them down," Guardian said as he leapt off the Alpha Jet and used his power suit to fly right at the giant, ten foot tall dragon.

"This reptile is gonna wish he never hatched," Wolverine said as he jumped falling right at the dragon causing his claws to extract with a snikt sounds.

"It feels good to be on a team again, and might I add, you're looking pretty cute in the new duds," Northstar said as he used his powers to fly down towards the dragon carrying Shiver.

"You know he's apt to gut you for that," Manikin chuckled as he flew the Alpha Jet for a closer pass by.

"Don't worry, he's next after the reptile," Wolverine added as he landed on the back of the dragon and drove his adamantium claws into the dragon's back.

"Why aren't we bringing in the other four?" Shiver asked as Northstar dropped her off on the ground to use her powers to put out the fires while he used his super speed to clear the bystanders.

"They are covert for only when we absolutely need them, and we can handle this thing," Captain Canada said as he leapt from the jet, did a summersault diving for the dragon's head.

"I see, Bucky, but I still don't get how there was only three in the room and then suddenly there was a fourth member standing there," Shiver said as created a large block of ice over a building allowing the fire to make it melt and rain down water to help put it out.

"I keep telling you, I activated High-tech and," Manikin began to say when a loud pulse interrupted the communication system.

"That's enough chatter folks. As secure line as this is I don't want to take any chances. Remember the two rules when in the field. Never use real names, codenames only and two, never talk about the others. Do I make myself clear?" Heather scolded at them all.

"Vindicator is right guys. If this is to work we must do this," Guardian said as he released several blasts from his hands at the dragon's face.

"Where did this thing come from?" Manikin asked as he pressed a button and released two rockets at the creature that exploded upon its back with no effect.

"Wherever it came from, I can tell you this, it's not real," Wolverine said as he sliced threw the creature's hide and pealed back a chunk of metal.

"Great, if it's a robot then there is no holding back," Captain Canada said as landed on the dragon's head and brought his shield down hard on the top.

The creature roared and whipped its head causing Captain Canada to fly off. Captain tucked into his shield allowing the impact of the fall to absorb into the shield and his left arm. He quickly rolled shaking off the pain and got to his feet. He looked up just as the dragon looked down upon him and then opened its mouth. A large blast of fire erupted from its maw and shot down at Captain Canada who held up his shield hoping it would do the job it was designed to do. Just as the fire got closer, Shiver was suddenly in front of him with her arms extended up and out.

Calling on all her power and pain from deep inside, she pushed out. Captain Canada could feel the air around them both getting very cold very fast. The front of the blast of fire froze instantly by they time it reached a few inches from them. It was only a matter of seconds before the fire trail all the way back up to the dragon's mouth became a frozen block of ice. The dragon stepped back and chomped down in anger causing the fire turned ice to fall and shatter to the ground. It turned and prepared another blast. Captain Canada saw that Shiver had exhausted herself and decided extreme methods were needed. He raised his left arm as the suit shifted and a gun popped out and into his hand.

"Captain, put that away immediately," Guardian said as he avoided the dragon's swatting tail.

"Hey, the thing isn't real so it's not killing," Captain Canada said as he aimed the gun.

"That's not it. As Captain Canada you have an image to uphold. We can't have you exposing yourself with stunts like that. Now put it away," Heather said over the comm. system.

"I was crazy for letting Fury and Danvers talk me into this," Captain Canada said as the gun vanished quickly.

"Hey, kid, this is a fresh start for you so don't blow it," Wolverine said as he slid down and around the dragon's neck slicing with his claws and then leaping off as the head fell to the slide half falling off.

"Whatever, old man," Captain Canada said with a chuckle as he threw his shield with all his might hitting the other side of the neck giving it the push it needed to snap off.

"Great guys, Northstar hurry and catch that head before it crushes someone," Heather said with a sigh of frustration.

"On it," Northstar said as he began moving in a circle so fast it was creating a whirlwind that rose up and caught the head and slowed it's decent.

"I should have guessed this new team would be so predictable," said a voice from the dragon's head as the head flashed twice and then exploded completely vaporizing into nothing as it released a powerful pulse of light.

"What?" Captain Canada asked as he grunted in pain as he dropped to the ground unable to lift his left arm.

"Suit went out, I'm going down," Guardian said as he crashed into the side of a building.

"What is going on?" Shiver asked as she could no longer feel her powers and then looked around.

Northstar who had been running in circles fast suddenly stopped, tripped and fell to the ground with a loud snap of his right ankle. Shiver glanced over at another noise and saw Wolverine laying face down on the ground with blood coming out of his knuckles where his claws had come out of. A loud roar caught her attention next. She looked up to see the Alpha Jet crashing to the ground as Manikin hit the ground somewhat safe thanks to a parachute. Manikin released the chute and held up his arm.

"Vindicator, come in. Can you hear me? We've been hit with an EMP blast that not only took all tech off line but it seems to have shut down our powers and abilities. Heather, are you there?" Manikin began to panic.

"Are you okay?" Shiver asked as she looked down at Captain Canada.

"My left arm is completely artificial and with out my abilities I can move it let alone have the strength to lift it," Captain Canada grunted through his teeth.

"Try having a whole skeleton made of metal and then whine to me," Wolverine said as he swore out load from the pain and the inability to move.

"I wonder who that voice belonged to," Northstar said as he sat on the curb trying to hold back the pain of his injured foot.

"I think that is the least of our worries," Manikin said as they all turned to see what he was pointing to.

Coming out of the neck of the headless dragon were hundreds of tan skinned creatures with long green hair on their arms and under their chins and had very sharp teeth and claws. They moved with great speed out of the dragon and set their sights on Alpha Fight.

_**Epilogue**_

"We're almost to the boarder," the Guardsman driving said as he glanced over to his passenger.

"I can't wait till we get back to the Vault. Having those two in transport make me nervous," the second Guardsman said back to the driver.

"What was that?" The first Guardsman asked after he heard a large thump from the roof of the transport.

"I don't know. Sky team, do you have a visual?" The second Guardsman asked into his communicator.

"You're all clear," the voice came back to them.

"Maybe it was bird or something?" One of the Guardsmen suggested.

Both Guardsmen jumped when suddenly a figure landed on the front of the transport, crouching and looking right at them through the windshield. The figure was clearly female wearing a full body suit that covered every inch of her well toned and curvy body. The suit was weird, for it looked as if you were looking into outer space. What was freaky was that the stars within the black suit seemed to blink or even move. The whole suit was like that except for what looked like a burning sun in the middle of her chest in the shape of a "Z", clear white circles where the eyes would be and a strange astrological rotating circle on her forehead. Even though they couldn't see her face, the way the stars moved on her suit it was as if they knew she was smiling.

"Sky, do you copy, we have an attacker on our hood," the Guardsman radioed.

"What are you talking about? There's nothing on your hood. It's only you down there," the voice came back.

"How?" One of the Guardsmen asked as the woman's suit seemed to swirl and take them in and then suddenly she was crouching in between the two of them.

"The suit cloaks me from all technological means. You two only see me because you aren't wearing your helmets. Now boys, mind telling me your sign?" The woman asked in a very soft and sexy tone.

"You're nuts," the Guardsman in the passenger seat said as he pulled out his laser gun and the driver reached for the comm. unit.

The woman in the strange space looking suit turned towards the Guardsman with the gun while placing her right hand on the driver's head. The passenger pulled the trigger and the laser blast seemed to be swallowed up into the suit, flow across the stars and then move along her arm till it reached her right hand and discharged out blowing the driver's head against the window. The transport vehicle then swerved off the road and then crashed into the steep ditch. The Sky Guardsmen began to radio for a response but never got one.

"What the heck just happened?" Killspree asked as he could feel the blood running down his face form where he hit his head in the crash.

"I don't know, but I think I broke my arm," Wyre grumbled as his shackles on his feet and hands gave him no mobility.

"Sorry boys, it seems your captures had a bit of an accident," the mysterious woman dressed in a space looking body suit said as she stepped up to the two prisoners.

"Who are you?" Killspree asked.

"Did someone send you to free us?" Wyre asked with hope.

"The name's Madam Zodiac and I've come to take back what's mine," Madam Zodiac said as she held out both her arms, palms up.

The sun on her chest flared as the symbol on her forehead began to glow and spin. Both prisoners began to scream as burning pain overwhelmed both their bodies. Killspree glowed purple while Wyre glowed a bright maroon. They both stopped screaming and went limp as the colors were ripped from both their bodies. The purple from Killspree became a topaz stone while the maroon from Wyre became an opal. Both stones then shot right into the sun on her chest causing it to go super nova. The wave swarmed all over space within her suit and then returned back to normal as suddenly two symbols appeared upon the astrological circle on her forehead. One was of the archer and the other of the scorpion.

"Welcome home, Sagittarius and Scorpio," Madam Zodiac said as she faded into the dark of the truck leaving the two prisoners alone.

**Next: Issue #32 – Krakoa – Part Two & Alpha Flight: The New Team – Part Two**


	33. Krakoa Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #32 – Krakoa – Part Two**

_**An Unknown Planet – Somewhere in Space**_

"Krakoa?" Juggernaut and Mammomax asked in unison.

"Wait, isn't that the island that captured Cyclops and he X-Men which resulted in Xavier recruiting both of you two and the rest of the next wave of X-Men?" Beast asked as he looked at Storm and Colossus.

"That island was almost the death of all us X-Men. I thought it had been blown away into space," Colossus said as he watched the land mass getting bigger as it got closer.

"Maybe it got sucked into that wormhole like we did," Gambit commented.

"Yeah, and lucky for us we all end up after all these years on the same planet," Storm said as she studied the land mass.

"What more can you tell us of this Krakoa?" Magneto asked.

"It is a living ecosystem that has immense psi powers and has complete control of its flora and fauna. It is a very dangerous and savage sentient creature," Storm said as her memories of her battle years ago sent shivers down her spine.

"Then we must prepare to defend ourselves," Magneto said as he rose into the air.

"I agree, and keeping it from reaching shore will keep it form getting stronger or turning our home against us," Storm said as the sky boomed with thunder and lightening as she rose into the air.

They heard the body mass roar as massive bolts of lightening shot down from the sky struck it. While Storm attacked, Magneto pushed with his magnetism to do all he could to keep the creature from advancing towards them. The others waited, preparing themselves for battle if the creature called Krakoa arrived to shore. Mammomax began blaring his trunk with all his might. Getting louder with each bolt of lightening that struck Krakoa. Almost matching the level of its scream. It wasn't until he really listened that Beast realized that Mammomax wasn't just making noise be he was using his powers to not only communicate at the land mass but to alert them as well.

"Calm down, Max. I'm having trouble understanding you," McCoy said as he ran up to the large elephant.

Mammomax took a deep breath and began making noises through his trunk. Beast listened briefly and then his eyes grew wide as he looked form the elephant to Krakoa out at sea. Beast leapt on top of the elephant's back and began waving his arms and shouted at Storm and Magneto. The roar of thunder was too loud so Beast jumped to the ground, grabbed two rocks and hurled them at the two airborne mutants with enough force to get their attention but not hurt them. Both mutants immediately whirled around and faced their attacker.

"What?!" Storm and Magneto screamed as the skies instantly cleared up.

"I said you're hurting her. Krakoa is not attacking, it's screaming out in fear and pain," Beast said.

"How do you know that?" Magneto asked.

"Because I can talk to her and she is beginning for you to stop hurting her. She isn't attacking, she sensed a familiar scent and was heading this way to find food and in hopes of no longer being alone," Mammomax said.

"Wait, that thing attacked me and the mutates," Gambit interjected.

"No, it was trying to find food. One of the mutates attacked it first and then all of you attacked. Out of basic fear and instinct she was defending herself. She has a mind but it is very basic and animal like," Mammomax said as it carried on the conversation between the mutants and Krakoa.

"This seems nothing like the Krakoa we encountered. Must be another creature that looks similar," Colossus said.

"No, it remembers you two, at least your scent. Guys, really, she's just hungry and tired of being alone," Mammomax pleaded as they all noticed that the small land mass was no longer moving towards them but waiting.

"How can we trust this thing won't attack us?" Juggernaut asked.

"We can't, but my instincts and curiosity says to let her come ashore," Beast said as he stared at the small land mass.

"What do you think?" Magneto asked as he turned to face Storm.

"I really don't know, but it is much smaller than the Krakoa I met and my senses tell me that it is and it isn't the creature that I once battled," Storm said and then nodded at Magneto.

"Mammomax, tell her to come but if she so much as appears to mean us harm we will finish what we started," Magneto said as Mammomax trumpeted a series of sounds from his trunk.

The thing called Krakoa seemed to get smaller and smaller as it approached the beach. Everyone stood back just in case except for Mammomax who stood by the waters edge as translator and Magneto and Storm who hovered above with powers at the ready. Just as Krakoa was about to reach the beach, it vanished under the water. The mutants glanced at each other and then jumped when the ground began to rumble. Within moments the beach began to rise up and take shape. Everyone stared as Krakoa had taken a more humanoid form made of sand, shells, vegetation and other foliage and flora. Krakoa had an almost Man-Thing look to it and stood about nine feet tall.

"What is it doing?" Gambit asked as he saw it legs making a weird movement from its body, into the ground and back.

"That is how she feeds. Even though she is separate being from the land, she is still connected and drawing from the earth what she needs to substance," Mammomax explained and translated.

"This creature is nothing like the Krakoa I remember. How did it get here?" Storm asked as Mammomax translated.

"Krakoa is who she is but she is but a part of the whole. When Krakoa was blasted off into space there was some kind of explosion and a wormhole similar to the one we encountered opened up. Krakoa was being pulled into two directions, one beyond the stars and the other into the wormhole. Krakoa here remembers a ripping sensation and then waking up in the middle of the ocean," Mammomax said.

"Fascinating. A part of Krakoa broke off and has somehow mutated into a separate life form but still carries the memories of the whole," Beast said studding the creature.

"Well, this one seems so much more passive than the thing we fought for our lives against all those years ago," Colossus said.

"Can you explain why you tried to kill us?" Storm demanded.

"Those memories are becoming faint echoes but she says it was a misunderstanding. Your teammates came and tried to capture her. It was acting on instinct of survival and self defense. A strange mind was trying to take control of Krakoa's consciousness, but failed. Unfortunately during that mental battle the island lost control and all of them had been seriously injured except one, a man with a visor that shot beams who was just well enough to walk back to the ship. Krakoa allowed him to leave to bring help while she held them trying to keep them alive till help came," Mammomax translated.

"Wait a minute, that is not how it happened. You captured them to feed off of and you sent Cyclops back just to bring more mutants to feed on, which we ended up being more than you bargained for," Storm said getting defensive.

"Krakoa says that what she says is true. When your group came and attacked, she tried to communicate but a man with a bald head started attacking their mind trying to take it over again. It even felt this man using mental powers to distort your perceptions of what was really happening. The man said to succumb to him or else. When Krakoa tried to reveal this to you all, that is when the man pushed hard on everyone's minds and soon Krakoa found herself propelling into space," Mammomax said.

"You're lying, Charles would never do such a thing," Storm said.

"I don't know, Cherie. Anyone is capable of anything," Gambit said as he stared at the creature.

"I know it's hard to believe but I feel she is telling the truth as she sees and remembers it," Mammomax said.

"I hate to agree with the Cajun, but do you think Charles is above doing what ever it took to be the first to recruit or obtain a mutant island?" Magneto asked giving Storm a look.

"I don't know what to believe," Storm whispered as she suddenly found her memories of that day a bit hazy and not as clear as she had once remembered them.

"Oh my," Mammomax said after Krakoa had made a bunch of noises.

"What is it?" Colossus asked.

"She says that this bald man was definitely the same mind on all three occasions," Mammomax said.

"Three occasions?" Storm asked with concern.

"Yeah, besides the original group, there were two more that came, yours and another before you came," Mammomax said.

"Charles never said anything about another group being sent," Storm said.

"There's nothing in the X-Men Archives that indicate two rescue missions. Only Storm and Colossus' group," Beast added.

"Well, well, Charles. Looks like you're hiding something," Magneto commented under his breath but loud enough that Storm heard and gave him a dirty look.

"Krakoa also says, she felt really bad about the second group that had arrived," Mammomax translated.

"Felt bad, about what?" Storm asked.

"She says it wasn't her fault. The bald man tried taking over her mind and in a panic her entire ecosystem went on the defensive and attacked the group," Mammomax said.

"What is she referring to? What is she sorry for?" Beast asked.

"For killing them all," Mammomax said with stutter as the mutants all looked at each other in shock.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**The New Team – Part Two**

_**Downtown - Alberta, Canada**_

"How are doing?" Manikin asked as Guardian limped his way next to the group assembled.

"Suit may have lost power but it still protected me enough for the crash landing allowing me to survive, but that's not the least of our worries," Guardian said as glances around.

Some kind of EMP blast had taken out their technology and abilities leaving all of them powerless. Guardian, Shiver and Manikin stood next to each other while Wolverine and Captain Canada lay on the ground unable to get up with their strength gone and Northstar sitting on the ground in front of them nursing a broken ankle. While his team was momentarily down, hundreds of creatures had poured out of the robotic dragon and had now surrounded them. Guardian was waiting for them to attack but they all seemed to be just watching them and licking their lips. Guardian had seen these creatures before but he couldn't place where or what they were.

"How are we supposed to fight these creatures without our powers?" Shiver said as she eyed the vicious looking creatures.

"Don't worry, you won't have to. Leave them to us," a voice said as portal above them opened up and a man and a woman stepped out.

"Look's like the Calvary is here," Manikin said with a sigh of relief.

"Cloaking is up. We will be blind to any and all forms of technology and electronics," a man wearing the same suit as Guardian but with a more futuristic flare to it said as he floated out on two hover discs.

"Roger that, High-tech. Mystic, what about your end?" Vindicator asked over the communication system.

"Done, we are completely invisible to the naked eye and anything non-electronic," the woman in all red and sporting white boots, gloves and a cape said as she floated in the air.

"Well done, it will be as if you four were never there. Mystic, take care of the injured and High-tech, see if you can reverse whatever that EMP blast did to the others. Now that it's clear, the rest of Alpha Prime, move in and take care of those creatures," Vindicator said as a woman with red and white suit and red eye mask and another woman with an all red full body suit with a white "A" and eye lenses holding two swords leapt out of the portal.

With great speed and skill, Switchblade sliced through the creatures causing them to puff with smoke and then melt into ooze with each fatal stroke. It seemed that what ever these creatures were, they weren't real living creatures. Now the team knew that they didn't have to hold back, not that it would have mattered to Switchblade. As she continued to strike Warbird flew past with great speed and causing the creatures to turn into ooze with each force blasts she sent at them. With the arrival of Alpha Prime, the creatures were given a command from an unknown source and leapt into battle with the intent to kill them all.

"Here, this should do it," Mystic said as she used her powers to heal Northstar's ankle and Guardians limp.

"Thanks but how do we fight these things?" Northstar asked as the creatures were almost upon them.

"Leave that to me, use these," High-tech said as he threw hand blasters at Guardian, Northstar, Shiver and Manikin.

"Sweet," Northstar said as a creature leapt at him and he pulled the trigger releasing a laser blast that hit the creature turning it into ooze.

"Not sure how long this will keep them back. There's so many of them," Manikin said as he, Shiver and Guardian did their best to avoid the creature's attacks while firing back at them.

"Maybe this will help," High-tech said as he knelt down and injected a shot into Captain Canadian's arm and Wolverine's body.

"What did you do to us kid?" Wolverine asked as he was suddenly on his feet, feeling lighter than air.

"Who cares, just fight," Captain Canadian said as he was glad to gain the use of his arm again and started turning creatures into ooze with the force of his shield.

"I injected you both with a serum that will temporarily make the metal in his arm and the metal throughout your body light as air," High-tech said as he then flew up into the air out of reach so he could be safe to work on reversing the EMP effects.

"Works for me," Wolverine said as he grunted back the pain as he extended his claws and dove at the creatures with a feral rage.

"Why am I not surprised that first mission out we get called in to assist?" Mystic said to herself as she used one hand to induce pain into several creatures while sending magical force blasts with the others turning more creatures into ooze.

"I just wish it wasn't so messy," Warbird said as she landed a strong punch into the gut of an attacking creature and it puffed into smoke and splattered ooze all over her.

"I still hate you for making me do this," Captain Canada said as he wrestled with one of the creatures wishing he had his strength back.

"I think I got it," High-tech said as he completed his gadget and sent off a pulse blast.

"Yes!" Captain Canada said as he got his strength back and turned the tables on his attacker.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Wolverine said as his body healed and he got his full feral abilities back and he began to shred through creatures as fast as Switchblade was.

"Advantage is ours once again," Guardian said as his suit powered up and he flew up and began an aerial assault.

As the seconds passed as the creature's numbers began to reduce into ooze as all of Alpha let loose with their full powers. Shiver incased as many as she could in ice while Manikin switched from Highbrow's teleporting to Ape Man's strength to Proto's acid to take out as many creatures as he could. It wasn't long before all of Alpha Flight and Alpha Prime where the only beings left standing. They had defeated all of the creatures and had become victorious on their first mission.

"Looks like that's the last of them," Warbird said as she took to the air and looked around at the ooze covered battle field.

"Great job, everyone. Prime, time to extract and let Alpha Flight do the clean up and claim all the credit," Vindicator said as High-tech began to open their portal home.

"Very impressive, and here I thought my creatures had this in the bag," a man's voice said as a figure began to materialize in the dark of an alleyway.

"I'm sensing a small amount of mystic energy," Mystic said as she prepared a spell.

"Oh, I don't think so," the figure said as a blast came shooting out that hit Mystic so hard that it sent her crashing into the far building across the street.

"How?" Warbird questioned as the rest of Alpha prepared for attack against the newcomer.

"Thanks to my superior intelligence and technology I was have this to protect me form your mystical and technological tricks," the man said as he stepped out of the shadows tapping his helmet.

"Oh no, it's," Guardian began to say as the man came into full view.

"Yes, the Master of the World is back," the man in black and silver armor and wearing a red cape and a silver helmet with a red "V" shape on it interrupted as he raised his arms and released a powerful pulse blast.

Warbird, already in the air had moved in time to avoid the blast but the rest of Alpha wasn't so lucky. The pulse blast hit them all with great force. Those that hadn't been taken down by the blast were instantly buried by the two building behind them that came crashing down on top of them due to the force of the blast. The Master then turned and faced the hovering Warbird.

"I thought I killed you?" Warbird asked as she dove at the armored villain.

"You did and I've always dreamed of the day I would avenge my father," the Master said as he back handed Warbird sending her flying backwards but with great speed grabbed her leg and swung her back and around slamming her atop a large truck with great strength and power.

"Now you die," Master said as he raised is arms and pointed his glowing hands at a barely moving and moaning Warbird.

_**Epilogue**_

"Sean, what's wrong?" Jodi asked as she stepped up behind her husband.

"I just got off the phone with James Rhodes," Sean answered.

"Problems with the prisoner transport?" Jodi asked as she began to worry.

"Yeah, someone or something attacked the transport van before it even made it back to the Vault Facility," Sean said to his wife.

"Did Killspree and Wyre escape? Any idea who attacked the van?" Jodi asked as she took the seat next to him.

"No, but who ever did didn't free them. Instead, they left them so badly burned that they are both in Vault Medical Unit in intensive care. They don't even know if they will survive the night. Plus, each of them had a small hole in the middle of their chests," Sean said as his eyes began to water.

"That is terrible. What could have done that to them? Wait, Sean, what's wrong? What aren't you telling me?" Jodi asked as she grew concerned.

"James, he said that they found Marrina," Sean began to say with a stutter.

"Marrina, didn't she return to the ocean?" Jodi asked with great fear and tears in her eyes.

"They found her washed up on the beach, with the same burns and hole in her chest. Due to her nature, her body was instantly dehydrated and shriveled from whatever that heat source was. There was nothing they could do, she was dead when they found her," Sean said as he and Jodi began to cry.

**Next: Issue #33 – Krakoa – Part Three & Alpha Flight: The New Team – Part Three**


	34. Krakoa Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #33 – Krakoa – Part Three**

_**An Unknown Planet – Somewhere in Space**_

"What do you mean killed them?" Gambit asked in pure curiosity of the living island's confession.

"That's what I'd like to know," Storm said as lightening crackled in her eyes. "Who was this other group that Charles sent and why we don't know about them?"

"The thing's probably making it up. Charles would never do what it's claiming," Colossus said defending the very man that had always been a mentor to him and many mutants.

"Oh, you guys hold Charles up so high that you can't truly see everything he does on that pedestal. This creature is not the one spinning lies," Magneto said as Storm glared at him.

"And what do you know about all this?" Storm demanded of him.

"Back when we were both starting out with our teams, Charles contacted me in hysterics. He claimed to have killed his X-Men and needed my help. Of course I turned him down. Later he had recruited another wave of X-Men and they had rescued his precious team. Up until today, I had always dismissed a couple things about that event," Magneto said as he seemed to ponder deep in thought.

"What is that?" Beast asked.

"One, I assumed the team he was referring to as dead was the team rescued but maybe Krakoa is right and this confirms a third team. Two, as did Charles I also watched him and my Intel told me he was recruiting two sets of mutants when he recruited you, Colossus and the others," Magneto answered.

"And what? What about this fourth team of X-Men?" Storm asked growing tired of all this.

"That's it. I had always suspected but that's as far as it goes. A part of me says there is more but I can't remember. I never thought more of it till now. Now I think our dear Professor may have gone to great lengths with his powers to erase two teams of X-Men from the world," Magneto said as he mentally commended his old friend while cursing him as well.

"I definitely don't believe him and I'm still not convinced Krakoa is telling the truth," Colossus said.

"She is not lying, I can tell through the translation that her words are true," Mammomax trumpeted out.

"I too agree that what she says is the truth. As a living ecosystem and a basic animal like intelligence, she is unable to lie. Even if she knew how to lie, why would she confess to murder," Beast said as he looked at the creature called Krakoa.

"Their deaths were an accident brought on by the bald man. We only tried to help but had to defend ourselves when bald man attacked. We are sorry," Krakoa said as Mammomax translated.

"Her English is getting better the more I translate between us," Mammomax explained as he saw the question in Beast's eye.

"Wait, you say her powers are Psi based?" Magneto asked as he looked at the X-Men on his team.

"Yes, Krakoa was an island that had been mutated. Its psychic abilities are what allows it to communicate and basically allows her control of nature around her. I imagine being a small offspring of the original that she still has them but not on a grand scale," Beast said as he started to see where Magneto was going with this.

"You think she could show us?" Storm asked allowed as she caught on as well.

"Krakoa, can you show us what happened?" Magneto asked as Mammomax translated.

"I don't know what you ask?" Krakoa asked as her face shifted taking on a confused look.

"Can you, with your mind, show me the memories of what happened to you and the bald man?" Magneto asked.

"She's not sure how. She just _talks_ to environment around her and they respond," Mammomax translated.

"Okay, try and have her bring up those memories and try and show them to us like she would if she was communicating to the beach or the earth. With me and Storm's nature based powers we can use them to connect ourselves with nature and with you as translator connect all four of us," Magneto said as he told his plan and Mammomax translated to Krakoa.

Magneto and Storm allowed Krakoa to command the beach around them to rise up and half way encase them as they both called on their powers enough to get in touch with natures forces. Using Mammomax's abilities along hers and the others a mental image began to be relayed into Magneto and Storm's mind. It wasn't the greatest of images but enough was coming through that they could vaguely make out what was going on. They saw Charles arrive by himself, they then saw Charles get angry and what appeared to be pain as he lashed out at Krakoa and then immediately left.

The next image was that of Cyclops and his X-Men. As they investigated they saw the image of Charles lashing out again. Krakoa reacted and Charles mental image vanished as the X-Men were injured. Krakoa created healing pods out of the earth, firma and vegetation as Cyclops nodded and left. They saw no signs of Krakoa doing anything harmful to the X-Men. In fact, she was doing everything it could to nurture and help the X-Men. Magneto and Storm could clearly see and feel that Krakoa had done nothing wrong. The aggressive force had been Charles.

They weren't sure how much time passed but the imaged shifted and moved to the arrival of another jet. Storm assumed this must be when she and the others had come to rescue the rest of the X-Men. She was shocked when she saw six figures get off the plane that she had never seen before in her life but yet felt a familiarity about them. It was really hard to make them out but she saw a girl with webbed hands and feet and scaly skin with gills, a boy with white spiked hair, a boy with no hair and a strange looking face, an oriental girl and two others that really made them pause. The more she stared the more she thought the last two looked like Bobby Drake and Scott Summers.

Before the kids got far she saw the image of Charles Xavier again. Storm almost screamed as she felt the pain from Charles attacking. She couldn't believe this side of Charles. The memories that happened next went so fast and were so faint she could barely make them out. In a final blast, Charles tried to take over Krakoa, failed and was shut out while the island instinctively protected itself and what it appeared was accidently kill the mutant students. Storm broke away in shock as the rest of the memories were that of her group coming back and attacking and it was a perception of events that didn't fit one hundred percent with how she remembered things. She, like Krakoa knew without a doubt that all this was because of, altered and covered up by Charles Xavier.

"Storm, girl, are you alright?" Gambit asked as he caught the weather goddess as Krakoa released her and she fell.

"It's true. Charles attacked her and made us all think differently," Storm said as anger against Xavier grew and her trust and admiration for the man shrunk.

"And the other group that came before us that died?" Colossus asked.

"True as well. There were six of them. A girl with fish like characteristics, a boy with white spiked hair, a strange bald boy that seemed to have adaptive based powers, an oriental girl that seemed to slow things down, a girl with blond hair that looked like Bobby Drake but controlled the earth and a boy with dark hair that resembled Scott Summers with some kind of energy based powers. Hard to tell with the limited images we got," Magneto explained.

"Do you really think that a few of them were related to my original team?" Beast asked.

"Would explain why he went to great lengths to cover this up," Storm said.

"I always knew my brother wasn't all goodie two shoes. Him and his superior attitude," Cain Marko said as he slammed his fist in the sand causing it to blow up and land on his head.

"You know, that white haired boy resembles Cain a bit," Mammomax said at the large man trying to wipe sand out of his hair.

"Never thought you had it in you Charles old friend," Magneto said as he wondered about the connections of that second group and if and who that fourth group could have been.

"We can't jump to conclusions, but Charles will have a lot to explain when we find him," Storm said.

"If we find him," Cain mumbled.

"Well, let me be the first to do what Charles failed to do. Krakoa, if you would like, I extend an invitation for you to join my Brotherhood," Magneto said as he landed in front of the creature and reached out his hand.

"Now wait a minute," Colossus began to say when Storm raised her hand.

"Erik is right. All Krakoa wanted was peace and we not only showed her aggression but we basically killed her. We would be honored if you joined us," Storm said as guilt over what Charles forced her to do battle with her anger against Charles for the same reasoning.

"I accept your offer to become part of your ecosystem," Krakoa said and shook Magneto's hand with what she called a hand.

"Storm, do you really think it is wise?" Gambit asked.

"I think it would be a great opportunity to get to know this mutant-like creature," Beast said.

"I," Storm began to say when she suddenly felt nauseous and flew into the trees and threw up.

"Something I said?" Gambit asked as they all stared after Storm.

"Maybe she caught something from the plant creature," Cain added with a chuckle to himself.

"Or a cold," Colossus added.

"Hopefully nothing terrible," Beast said as he had wondered about what things could go around on an alien planet.

"What did she just say?" Magneto asked Mammomax as Krakoa had made some noises and Mammomax glanced at Erik and then looked away real fast.

"Is something wrong?" Beast asked growing concerned.

"Krakoa said that she sensed another presence when we were connected. She said it's as if something was growing inside of her?" Mammomax responded as he heard a loud thump and turned to see that Magneto had fainted and Beast made a dash to Storm's side.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**The New Team – Part Three**

_**Downtown - Alberta, Canada**_

Master of the World laughed as he prepared to release a blast from his hand. He had come here to destroy Alpha Flight, but he never imagined that he would also have the opportunity to take out his father's killer too. Here, lying in front of him was carol Danvers, the Avenger known as Ms. Marvel now Warbird. It spiked his curiosity on why she would come to Canada to join a bunch of losers like Alpha Flight, but it didn't matter because she would be dead in moments. The blast form his left arm would neutralize her powers long enough for the blast from his right arm to finish her off. With a final smile he fired with all his might.

The first blast hit Warbird causing her to grunt as she felt the energy drain from her. She looked up and realized that maybe this was it. The second blast came and she closed her eyes waiting for it to finish her off. She heard the impact but never felt it. She opened her eyes to see Captain Canada kneeling in front holding his smoking shield with his left arm that had seared enough to expose a portion of his cybernetic arm. Without missing a beat, Captain Canada swung around with the shield and with all his might hit the Master, sending him flying backwards. He then turned and helped Warbird to her feet.

"Thanks, James," Warbird said wincing in pain.

"Hey, not suppose to call me by name in the field. You okay?" Captain Canada asked with a smile and a hand.

"Didn't know you cared," Warbird teased.

"I don't, just don't have the time to deal with Logan if anything happened to you," Captain Canada said with a wink.

"You think you are enough to stop me?" Master asked as he got back to his feet.

"No, but we are," Guardian shouted as the Master turned at the voice to see the building rubble vanish to reveal Mystic standing there with glowing hands and the rest of Alpha Flight and Prime behind her.

"How?" Master asked with surprise.

"Easy, with the first blast my host Manikin took it in and then sent the data to me where I was able to send out a counter pulse to nullify your effects," Hightech said as he hovered in the air on his hover discs.

"And I made it look as if the building crashed down on us," Mystic continued.

"Which distracted you enough for me to attack," Northstar said as he ran in circles around the Master landing super fast punches.

"You attacking me is your best move?" Master said as he whipped out his arm, caught and threw Northstar into the air and right into Guardians quick flying arms.

"No, that'd be me, bub and this is for my girl," Wolverine said as the Master turned to hear two shnikt sounds.

Wolverine moved fast as he swiped his arms causing his Adamantium claws to slash across the Master's face removing his helmet and leaving three claw marks across each side of his face. The Master screamed in rage as he swung his fist hitting Wolverine and sending him flying across the street. Guardian flew in and starting pummeling him with plasma blasts. The Master shrugged them off and returned fire back at him. Because of his helmet being off, he could no longer see Alpha Prime and what they were up to.

Switchblade stood steady keeping her eyes looked onto the Masters eye's while Mystic began to create a mystical cage. With a nod Shiver began calling on her cold powers as Northstar grabbed her and ran in a fast circle around the group. In a matter of minutes there was a frosty fog around them blocking anyone from being able to see what was going on with the group. At that moment, Mystic called off her cloak spell allowing her and the rest of Prime to appear to the Master of the World. She then she completed her spell encasing Switchblade in a mystical cage.

"What good is making yourself seen if," the Master began to say when suddenly he locked eyes with Switchblade and instantly found himself inside the magic prison and Switchblade smiling next to her teammates on the outside.

"Good job everyone. I've got Canadian's Special Unit coming in to take Master away," Vindicator said over their com systems.

"I have the DNA sample as well," Hightech said as he took the blood off of Wolverine's claws with a devise of his.

"Good, Prime, time to leave," Vindicator said as Mystic opened a portal and she, Warbird, Hightech and Switchblade left the area leaving Alpha Flight to claim the full credit and help with the clean up.

_**Alpha Embassy**_

"Approval ratings are through the roof. Canada for first time in a long time is really happy about the new Alpha Flight," Madam Q said as she finished putting everything together in their mission report.

"That's great. The Master showing up almost caused some problems but they handled it," Heather Hudson said as she began looking at the readout on her computer monitor.

"I was reading over all this and there seems to be some inconsistencies," Madam Q commented.

"What are you talking about?" Heather looked up nervously.

"How Master's was actually caged," Madam Q began to say.

"It was tech designed by Manikin using his Highbrow persona," Heather said quickly.

"But," Madam Q began to say when a loud buzzing noise interrupted her.

"Heather, you there?" Sean's voice asked over her com unit.

"Yeah, Sean?" Heather said with relief as she walked away from Madam Q and went to her desk.

"I got the tests back from that sample," Sean answered.

"Well?" Heather asked.

"It matches that of the original Master. He is definitely related to him or a clone, but we will know more when the further testing comes back," Sean said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. Will see you later at the memorial," Heather said as she turned her com off.

Heather was glad that their plan at a new and improved Alpha Flight had turned out so well. She just wished that the end of a great day hadn't resulted in the new of a former teammate's death. Something had killed Marrina and left her in the same condition as two others, Killspree and Wyre. Both were in comas right now, but when they came out of it she was hoping to get information on who attacked them so they could find out who had done this to Marrina and find out what they are after. She wanted to do more testing, but Namor was gracious enough to let them have the service and would be taking her body back with him to sea. So they would have to do with what they had.

"Heather, Mac is here to pick you up," a voice came over her com speaker.

"Great I'm on my way down," Heather said as she put on her black suit jacket and headed out the door.

**Next: Issue #34 – Lost and Found – Part One & Alpha Flight: Return of Beasts – Part One**


	35. Lost and Found Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #34 – Lost and Found – Part One**

_**Unknown Space**_

_**Drifting, Powerless Ship**_

"Now, now, you wouldn't hit a pregnant woman would you?" Mystique smiled as she had reverted back to regular form, except for allowing her pregnancy to now show.

"Don't tempt me," Frost snarled at the woman as she tossed her food rations into her cell and then sealed it securely.

"I don't see why we don't just shoot her out into space," Longshot smirked as he sat down to take his turn at guard duty.

"Oh, I'm tempted. If there wasn't a chance that child might be Scott's she would be. Havok won't let me kill an innocent child, no matter who's spawned it," Frost said as she began to leave the room.

"That and Scott would never forgive you if any harm had come to his child," Mystique taunted form behind the energy field that kept in safely tucked away.

"If it's his," Emma growled and left the room and Mystique's laughing.

They knew that there was nowhere to go aboard this dead drifting prison but they didn't want to take any chances with Raven Darkholm. If anyone could, she would be the one to find a way off this ship leaving those she hadn't killed behind to die. So when Longshot, Slipstream and Havok had luckily found and repaired the ship's power core giving power, life-support and basic functions back online they found the holding cells and put the evil blue witch in one. They were all thankful to the three men for what they did, but unfortunately they were unable to repair the engines, shields or weaponry leaving them drifting defenseless through space with a crazy woman.

Slipstream had offered to travel off through space to search for help, but they had all agreed it might be too dangerous since they had no idea where they were. On top of the power coming back on, Longshot had also stumbled upon a storage room that contained food and basic supplies. Havok figured out that with what they had found and with twelve of them on board that they had enough food, if rationed properly could last them at least three weeks, a month tops. Frost didn't feel so comfortable with those odds, especially when one was eating for two and the others that had been wounded had survived. Not that she had wanted it or thought herself evil thinking it. She knows everyone had that basic survival thought cross there minds whether they wanted to admit it or not.

Emma rounded the corner and entered the room they had setup as their medical ward. The ship didn't have squat in the department of medical equipment but only had the bare essentials like bandages, salve, painkillers and standard first aid kit items. If it hadn't been for Sway's time slowing powers to slow the progression of the wounds when they arrived, Angel's healing blood to try and heal the wounds and Longshot's plain luck the four people in this room would most definitely had died or been in worse condition. Before setting up this room with beds and while Longshot relied on luck to find supplies and helping get the power turned back on, they all had to deal with wounded that had arrived on this ship seconds before their actual ship had been blown up by Zekk. Emma swore the bounty hunter's name as she glanced at those in the room.

Magnus lay upon a bed with his head wrapped in bandages. He had received a serious blow to the head and they had tried to apply Warren's blood to heal it but it had no effect. They weren't sure if it was because or her electrical powers, mystical powers or both but his and Warren's blood were not compatible and didn't work. With Sway slowing down the flow of blood, they had gotten his head bandaged up. Wade then cast a spell and had gone into a healing type trance. Emma stayed clear as every few seconds Wade's body lit up with electricity like an electric eel as his body healed and repaired itself. This man who was descended from Magneto and harnessed the power of both Electro and the Scarlet Witch continued to impress and scare her.

In the bed next to him sat Stacy X. She had suffered a very bad side wound and had lost a lot of blood. Warren's blood has easily healed her wound but she was still sore and fairly week from her loss of blood. At this point she was still too weak to use her powers to speed up others healing without risking her own health. She would live and be fine, but she needed to remain in bed still her body regained its strength. Plus, she felt the need to sit and stand watch over Iceman who thanks to his ice powers had helped keep her from bleeding out and dying immediately while on the other ship. Emma didn't need her mental powers to know that for the first time, Miranda truly cared about someone and from what she picked up from Bobby, he felt the same but was afraid that those feelings weren't his own, but Emma knew that this time, they were.

Bobby, the X-Man called Iceman sat in his bed in self pity. Emma had tried pushing him but had been shut out and put down. During the battle on the other ship, Bobby had his right foot and left arm sliced off while his right hand had been completely shattered and destroyed. With his missing appendages he was stuck in his ice form or risk bleeding to death. Emma had tried to use her mental powers to help him push his powers to the next level by drawing moisture, adding it to his body and regenerating his limbs. After numerous failed attempts, one new foot that came out very deformed and willed away and finally a perfect hand that when he started to become flesh evaporated away making him switch back to ice or risk bleeding to death he had given up and gone into his pity party depression. Emma passed him by and would no longer bother with the man of ice till he was ready to get serious and better.

The last person in one of the beds made Emma pause and almost feel bad. She became sharp as she used her mind and looked down at Dominic Detros, the Brotherhood member known as Avalanche. At least that is the name he is going by right now. Dominic has tried many aliases through the years as a terrorist, villain and even attempted government agent. Even though, recently, he has stuck with the name Dominic, he has been going back and forth with changing his last name from Petros and Detros depending on his situation. Emma knew the man's mind and knew his real name. The immigrant from Crete, Greece was born with the name Dominikos Ioannis Petrakis, Dominic for short. Also, knowing the man's mind she also knew one more thing to be true, he had good in him and the potential to do good.

Dominikos' family had been very poor but his mother had always tried to install good in him and his two siblings while his father was always getting in trouble with some scam to make money. On the day Dominikos had turned ten, he was sitting in front of a cake his mother had managed to bake for him somehow with his mom and toddler brother when his eldest brother came crashing into what they called a home saying they had to gather their things and run. Before his mother could protest or get answers his father came crashing in and demanded that they leave. Dominikos cried as his brother stepped on his cake while picking him up and dragging his mother who held onto his youngest brother and made a run for it while his father stayed behind to hold off the authorities.

They made it to a small plane that was heading out of the country. As much as his eldest brother and his mother argued they wouldn't let them board. His brother began to argue and threaten and had seized a guard's gun. A grand commotion began to take place as his mother placed his tiny brother in his arms and began screaming at his older brother to stop and put down the gun. Suddenly shots were fired and all he heard was his mother scream at him to go, be safe and be good. Dominikos ran and as he slipped onto the plane and hid with his brother he saw his brother laying still covered in blood on the ground and the authorities hauling his mother way from the scene. Most of the rest of the memories are blurred as trauma blocked them from his own mind.

Somehow the two boys had made it to the United States and in a huge commotion with the US Authorities, he was separated from his little brother as they took his brother into their hands and he made a run for it. He would never see his brother, Esteban ever again and after years of growing up on the streets he would suppress his brother's memories away and never think of him again. Even when he worked for the government and was able to tap into information to learn of his father's execution and his mother's death of a broken heart he had never even thought of his youngest brother. His anger at what had happened to him had led him down the path of wrong but was always hit with his mother's words to do good. Had Xavier found him before Mystique, maybe things would have turned out differently. Instead Dominic went through life doing wrong with the occasional good deed or attempt at it.

Emma could see it was at some point after the death of his best friend Pyro and other friends he made during Freedom Force that he decided, while in prison it was time to do what his mother had always wanted and do good. When he got out and received the call to assist Magneto in space he went, but decided it would be the last time. Even if it did lead him to be stuck in space, battling along side the X-Men gave him the direction he needed. If Rouge could do it, so could he. He had also fallen in love with Sage and wanted nothing more than to prove to her he had what it took to be an X-Man. That is why he came back on this search and rescue mission, it was not only a way to impress Sage but to also show he had what it took to be a hero, be an X-Man. Too bad it had all come to an end.

During the battle with Zekk he had been serious beaten and injured. The last thing he remembered was the sound of the ship exploding, taking and killing the program called Tessa-2 with it. He knew it wasn't the real Sage but near death, he embraced the exploding pain and reveled in the serenity that he would be dying a hero and in some sense be joining his love, Tessa. He closed his eyes and no longer felt a thing. He really thought he had died but realized when he woke up that he was alive and there was a reason he didn't feel anything. With Angel's blood, it had only been able to do enough to heal and seal his wounds but it had been unable to fix his broken spine that had left him paralyzed. So now Dominic lay upon a bed, unable to move and unable to feel physically. Emma breathed in deeply as Dominic still felt emotionally and mentally.

_Do it, Emma._

_I can't, Dominic._

_I know you can. No one would know. They would think I went naturally. I can't continue on this way, please. Let me die a hero. _

_While being a coward?_

_Emma, you think me a coward not wanting to live the rest of my life unable to move and have everyone see me as a weak invalid? Please, I can't live this way. _

Emma took a deep breath and her body kept its ugly sharp form as she called on her powers to do what Dominic had asked her to do. Just as she was about to enter his mind a large boom caused the room to shake and knock Emma off her feet. She got up to see that everyone had been undisturbed except for Stacy X who was doing her best to help get Iceman back up on his bed. Emma ran over, made her body go smooth and safe and gave the two mutants a hand helping Bobby up.

"What was that?" Stacy X asked, wincing in pain from the strain of moving the one she loved.

"Quiet, I'm checking," Emma said as she stepped back, went sharp and reached out with her mind.

_We're under attack!_

_Emma, please!_

"What is it?" Stacy X asked as Emma went smooth again.

"Havok says we're being attacked," Emma responded as she darted out of the room giving one last glance at Avalanche's pleading eyes.

"This ship isn't able to give me much of anything. Our resources are limited," Slipstream said as Emma came running in.

"It appears that whoever that ship belongs to it's got us trapped in a tractor beam of sorts. That's what shook the ship when it brought us to a halt. It seems we're now just sitting here at their mercy," Angel said as Océana gave a worried look over to Sway.

"What do you think they want?" Emma asked as she went sharp and tried to reach out with her mind and got nothing.

"Looks like we are about to find out," Havok said as they saw on the monitor screen a large boarding tube was extending out from the strange ship and towards their ship.

* * *

_**Alpha Flight**_

**Return of Beasts – Part One**

_**Alpha Prime Headquarters – Below Flight Industries**_

"So what's the deal with him?" Carol Danvers asked as she watched her teammate dive into the pool.

"What are you talking about?" James Barnes asked back as he swam up to the edge of the pool and with one swift motion of strength placed him up on the edge sitting looking at the woman sitting in her pool chair.

"Why does he just sit there and stare at the water?" Carol asked as they both turned to look at Hightech just standing at the pools edge, staring into the water.

"Maybe he's just wondering what it would be like to be alive," James suggested.

"That's the one thing that has me confused. I thought he was alive," Carol said as Hightech looked over at them and then quickly left the room.

"Okay, maybe he is and is just afraid of the water. Not sure how it is but all I know and care about is that he defiantly proves himself in battle and that's what counts," James said as he leapt up into the air and cannonballs into the water causing Carol to scream at him for getting her wet.

"I hate that I can't feel anymore," Hightech said as he entered his room and stared at the man sitting on the bed.

"At least you still live. You could be like our brothers Ape Man and Proto who are dead," Whitman Knapp said as he looked up at his future self.

Whitman Knapp had been known as Manikin with a remarkable ability. He had the power to summon three genetic relatives from the future and the past, Proto, Ape Man and Highbrow. Then during a battle with Jackal, he lost his ability to summon his brothers but could only call on them if he transformed into one of them. It appeared that their bodies had been destroyed but their minds and souls had taken residence inside of him. So when he called on his powers, he could transform his body to look like the one he called on while their mind and soul took possession of the body. Luckily for him, being the host, he could strongly guide them and if needed, force himself back into control with ease. It was great because he was like four heroes in one. He had come to great terms with this arrangement until things changed with the Demon Storm.

The Horseman from Hell, Zorak who had been posing as Director X had captured him and using the Zodiac Stones had transformed him into Demon Zodiac members. Unlike the others that had been kidnapped and transformed, Knapp had been split into three. Each of his personas was given back their own bodies while Knapp found himself as the soul and mind without a body. Since he was split between the three, all he could do was watch as they acted with no say or ability to do anything at all. Then the Demon Storm and the Demon Zodiac came to an end when Nemesis used her mystical blade to slice through each Zodiac member causing them to violently revert back to normal. Unlike the others who shifted back, there were four souls to revert back into one body that had been split into three for Knapp and his brothers.

When Knapp had awakened from his mystical coma he found that he was in possession of his body again but could feel that something wasn't the same. He tried calling on his powers and found that he could not transform himself into any of his three brothers and felt a void in his mind where he once felt his brothers hiding in wait. With help from Sean and Heather he had undergone some tests and discovered that his powers as well as things with his brothers had changed drastically. Two of his brothers had been killed while one managed to survive the mystical transformation back. Proto and Ape Man had died and no matter how hard he tried he could not call them and Highbrow had become something different.

Knapp had started getting headaches and realized that it was Highbrow trying to get out. Letting go and allowing Highbrow to come forward his remaining brother manifested in front of him. After a series of tests it was determined that Highbrow was a single entity but his body was more like a solid holographic construct of sorts and as of right now, neither of them could survive without the other. If Highbrow stayed out of Knapp too long he would dissolve into nothing while if Knapp didn't release him in time the pressure of the headaches would cause an aneurism and kill him. So they had to work out a happy medium between the two. On top of all this, Knapp found that when Highbrow was in him it charged him up and when he was released he was able to use his brother's powers. He wasn't sure how to balance his new two person hero until Heather and Mac approached him about Alpha Flight and Alpha Prime. Now here he was on two teams letting everyone know they were now separate but having to keep the true connection secret, not only for the team but for his and Highbrow's safety.

"It's almost time to recharge," Whitman said as he looked at the form of Hightech.

"I know. Could I have a moment?" Hightech asked.

"Sure, I'll be right outside," Whitman Knapp said as he still found it weird that Highbrow was developing so much independence for someone gravely attached to him.

Hightech walked over to the phone sitting on the nightstand. He picked it up and searched through Knapp's phone list till he found the number he was looking for and then hit send. As he waited for the phone to dial he looked in the mirror and was glad to see his true face looking back at him. He hated the condition he was in right now but he had to be thankful. If it hadn't been for the Demon Storm and Nemeses he would have never been given a second chance at life on Earth. It wasn't the life he wanted or was used to but he would make it work and thanks to the remaining Zodiac Stones still inside Whitman he could drawn on their protection and their camouflage.

"Hello?" Came a voice from the other end.

"Good, I was hoping you would answer," Hightech said.

"Who is this? Is this you Knapp? Doesn't sound like you," the man's voice said from the other end.

"Olanik etosia remintin," Hightech chanted as his voice took on an old and raspy sound.

"Can it be?" The voice on the other end asked after a brief pause followed by an angry growl.

"Yes and the time has come for us to walk again," Hightech said into the phone.

"I will crush and kill all around me," the growling voice said from the other side.

"You will do no such thing. By the great order I control and command you. You will do as I say and follow my instructions," Hightech said with power in his voice.

"Yes, great and ancient one. I have no choice but to bow to your command," the voice on the phone said.

"Good, I want you to come here tomorrow. We can talk and plan more then," Hightech said as he nodded and then hung up the phone.

"Who are you, whoa," Whitman began to ask as he entered the room and then gasped.

"Sorry, I was just talking to myself. Is something wrong?" Hightech asked as he secretly deleted the phone record and slipped the phone onto the table behind him.

"Nothing, I just for a second there thought I saw your reflection in the mirror with large giant ears," Whitman said as they both turned and saw nothing of the sort in the mirror's reflection.

"It's probably the drain. I can feel it too. We must merge," Hightech said as Whitman held out his hand and the two became one.

"I think I need a vacation," Whitman said as he shook his head and headed out of the room.

_**Epilogue**_

"Something wrong?" Lillian Crawley asked as she walked up to her soon to be husband.

"Not at all," Walter Langkowski said as he shifted back to his human form.

"I thought I heard you roar," Lillian said as she touched his face.

"Just those darn telemarketers," Walter said as he took her in his arms and kissed her.

"We really need to start making some decisions about the wedding," Lillian said looking up into her man's eyes.

"I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we should head up and see the old gang tomorrow and start finalizing things?" Walter suggested.

"That would be great. Then I can ask Heather in person than over the phone," Lillian said as he hugged her man one more time before she went to pack while he rounded up the kids.

"Yes, tomorrow will be a great day," Walter said as he felt his inner beast growl.

**Next: Issue #35 – Lost and Found – Part Two & Alpha Flight: Return of Beasts – Part Two**


	36. Lost and Found Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #35 – Lost and Found – Part Two**

_**Unknown Space**_

_**Powerless Ship Caught in a Tractor Beam of another Ship**_

Havok, Frost, Slipstream, Sway, Océana and Angel stood there for a moment as they watched the boarding tube approach their ship. First instinct was to use their powers to destroy the tube but they decided that it was best to see who this ship belonged to before instantly making them an enemy. There was a chance they were here to rescue them and if they attacked, whatever their intentions, would make them open fire on them in a defenseless ship. They may all have powers and could take them but what good would that do them floating in space without a ship? So for now, they would wait to see who they were and then go from there.

"I think we should over power them and take their ship," Frost said what she knew many of them were thinking.

"No, we don't know their intentions. They could be friendly," Angel said.

"And if they aren't?" Slipstream asked.

"Then we have ourselves a new ship," Havok smiled making Océana frown a bit.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we won't leave them stranded here or harm them severely if it comes down to it," Sway said knowing that sometimes you aren't left much of a choice.

"I still can't pick any thoughts up. You think these could be the Others?" Emma asked as she continued to push with her mind.

"No, if they were I'm sure we'd been blown up by now," Sway added.

"But they could be mechanical or some kind of different alien brain makeup," Angel suggested.

"Either way we need to be ready," Havok said as they all saw the tube getting closer to the one side of the ship.

"Here they come," Slipstream said as the ship shook upon impact of the tube.

"Slipstream, you and Océana stay here and keep an eye on that ship. If something more heads this way or it does something you let us know," Havok said as he led the others towards the spot the invaders were arriving at leaving Océana behind for Warren's sake and that he hadn't seen her in battle enough to know if she would be more of a liability or not.

"What's the plan boss?" Angel asked Havok as he caught a glare of disapproval from Frost.

"Emma, I want you to keep the mental link going and see whatever you can read from them. Sway, I want you to be ready to slow time the second they come through that wall to give us an advantage over their first move. Angel, not sure how you're doing it but I think Archangel might be preferred so you and me can dish out the heavy artillery if needed," Havok said as Angel closed his eyes and in moments shifted his skin to blue as his feathery wings jerked out becoming instantly solid, shiny and very sharp and pointed.

_I don't like how he seems to be able to shift from X-Man to Horseman and back. _

_I'm with you there, Emma. He doesn't know why he can do it. Until recently he thought when he reverted back to Angel that he was finally free of Apocalypse's handy work. _

_Alex, you ever wonder if his greatest creation is still a sleeper agent of sorts. _

_I would be lying if I said I hadn't considered that or that I do find it hard to completely trust our winged friend here, but until he appears to be a threat we have to trust he's got our back. _

_If we make it back I think he should be checked out, along with a few other, _Emma thought as the image of the pregnant Mystique made her cringe with anger.

"Here they come," Archangel said as the side of the ship began to have a circle into it from the tube.

"Still not getting any mental thoughts or images," Emma pronounced as a circular piece of the ship fell towards them as smoke filled into the room from the tube behind it.

Havok shouted for them to go into action immediately. No sooner had the wall fell in when dozens of large armored men with guns came charging through. Sway's eyes flared as she called on her powers and pushed out with her mind. Thanks to Frost she had gotten a better idea on how her powers worked. She was, according to Frost, almost an Omega Level Telekinesis. She didn't really slow or freeze time, what she did was grab hold of people and things and held them with her telekinesis to the point that they were could barely more or if she pushed hard enough to come to a complete stand still unable to move almost looking like she had frozen time. As for recreating scenes of the past, she assumed it was a combination of tek grabbing hold of images and a secondary mutation of psi abilities that allowed others to see them. No matter what it was, right now she was using her tek and pushing with all her might.

"I don't understand. I'm pushing with all my might and I don't seem to be slowing them down at all," Sway say as she started to perspire.

"Emma?" Havok asked as both his energy blasts and Archangel's wing blades had no effect on the attackers.

"Nothing. It's as if their minds are blank or maybe shielded big time," Emma answered as she went sharp trying to connect both mentally and physically with her attackers and not having any luck.

"They move at an alarming speed," Archangel said as he had no luck hitting any of them with his wings.

"Everyone stop! One more move and we blow her head off," one of the armored men said as they all turned to see two men pointing a gun at each side of Sway's head.

_Emma? _

_Already alerted Slipstream and Longshot to be ready, _Emma thought to Alex as they stood down and watched all the armed men surround them with their guns.

They all turned as two figures came walking out of the tube and onto the ship. Both figures were both wearing full body armor and appeared very muscular and about seven feet tall. Each held a very large sword in one hand and a large strange gun in the other. It was clear that they were the leaders of these invaders. The fact that they couldn't touch these guys or even read their minds made Havok nervous. He just hoped that they could make it out of this alive but Emma assured him that all would work out.

"You, white witch can stop with the mental gifts. We are immune to your trickery and if you so much as send out a thought we will kill her," one of the large leaders said as he nodded towards Sway.

"Don't worry. We promise to cooperate and come peacefully. Just don't hurt her," Havok said as he watched the two.

"We have no intention of taking you prisoner," one of the leaders said.

"We just want your supplies and rations. If you don't get in our way we will let you live," the other leader said.

"We'll die anyway if we're left here without food," Archangel said as he eyed them carefully.

"Enough of this charade. Enog Eb Snoisulli!" Magnus said as he walked into the room and released his powers.

Electricity shot from his eyes and hands and engulfed the room. Emma nodded in amazement as the electricity missed every single one of them and only hit the invaders. As the electricity streams made contact with the attackers, the men with guns flickered and then vanished from sight. In an instant all the invaders were gone but two, the leaders. As they all turned to the leaders they saw that they were gone and now standing in their place were a man and woman with orange skin, bald heads with web like ears and a third eye in the middle of their foreheads. They were both thin and scrawny wearing no armor and both holding very small guns. Magnus without missing a beat sent another blast of power causing the two to drop their guns and fly backwards against the ship's wall. To his teammate's surprise, Wade was in front of the two holding them against the wall by their necks with his hands before they had even touched the wall.

"Illusions, I knew it," Emma swore at being played the fool.

"No wonder we couldn't touch or hurt them," Archangel said looking at Havok.

"Wade, how did you know?" Havok asked of the man who had been in a healing trance of sorts.

"After Emma contacted Longshot he intercommed into the med unit to let them know what was going on. Luckily, when he buzzed in the com made a screeching noise that caused Stacey X to jump and drop her glass by my bed, shattering and luckily waking me from my trance. After Longshot filled me in I went to see Slipstream.

"I told him to sneak aboard the ship and see what we were up against. He went there and came back in seconds letting me know that the ship was empty and according to the scanners our ship registered only us and two strangers. I immediately knew what was up and took action here while I told Slipstream, Océana and Longshot to get our prisoner, injured and all supplies teleported to the other ship. Now, you have one minute to speak before I remove your heads," Magnus growled as electricity danced from his eyes and around his hands.

"I am Ta and this is my mate, Ve. We are all that was left of our crew. We happened to crash land on a planet where we came upon a group of people who had just built a ship to escape. We stole their ship and left for freedom. We didn't mean you any harm. We just needed food and supplies," Ta said nervously as the electricity crackling around her neck made it hard to concentrate.

"So it's just the two of you?" Havok asked.

"Yes, your friend is right. My mate has the gift to make people see things while I can see what needs to be done to achieve what is needed," Ve said as he telepathically felt his mate's displeasure in revealing their gifts.

"Well, let's ditch these fools and get aboard our new ship," Emma said as the two aliens third eyes flared.

"You won't do that," Ta said.

"Why is that?" Havok asked.

"My gift showed me what is needed to get what we all need," Ve said as he sent the info to his mate telepathically.

"What is that?" Emma asked.

"If you let us live and take us with you we can take you to your missing friends," Ta said as she created an image of Storm, Magneto and a few others on a stranded island causing them all to gasp as the two aliens smiled.

_**

* * *

**_

Alpha Flight

**Return of Beasts – Part Two**

_**Toronto, Canada – Downtown Bridal Shop**_

"Thank you so much for agreeing to be my Maid of Honor," Lillian Crawley, the ex-Alphan known as Diamond Lil

"It's my pleasure. I am so happy to see the two of you happy. I'm glad you've, both of you have found someone," Heather said as they glanced at racks of wedding gowns.

"You mean, glad _I_ finally moved on?" Lillian asked with a bit of attitude as she turned to face her old friend.

"I didn't mean that. I am just happy for all of you. Madison has found happiness and now both you and Walter have found happiness. That's all I meant," Heather said with a cute smile.

"Sorry, I don't know why I get so agitated at the thought of him. Walter wants to invite them but I don't know. Anyways, what about you and Mac? Do I see reconciliation there?" Lillian asked changing the subject.

"Heavens no. There's too much history between me and Mac to not be good friends, but that same history makes it harder to ever be more than that. Especially now," Heather said and then trailed off as she pulled out another dress.

"What, is it the running of a new team or a certain hairy furball that has come back?" Lillian asked with a coy smile knowing full well it was her turn to be evil.

"Me and Logan? Please. Seriously, the last thing I need is another James in my life," Heather said as she threw a dress at her friend.

"I'm just saying. Logan isn't the type to settle in one place, especially when he's got his whole mutant family in the states. Something's got to be holding him here," Lillian said as she made a gagging face and put the dress back on the rack.

"I don't think so. You know how old he is and where he's all been? He's probably got women and children all over the world knowing him. Plus, being all around, what would he even see in simple ol' me," Heather said as she got nervously quiet.

"Whatever you say," Lillian laughed as she grew tired of looking at dresses and wished she would have taken Jodi up on her offer to make it for her, but she was already doing so much making the bridesmaid's dresses.

"So, how is Walter adjusting to the whole marriage thing?" Heather asked.

"Fine, but he has been a little growly and odd recently but I think it's just nerves," Lillian said.

"Yeah, wedding jitters. Everyman gets them. Once you say those vows all will be fine and well worth it," Heather smiled as she spotted a dress and held it up causing Lillian, for the first time to clap and scream like a school girl.

_**Alpha Headquarters**_

"You know we have to plan the bachelor party," Mac Hudson said after gladly accepting Walter's offer of being his best man.

"No, I don't want one of those," Walter said with a laugh.

"Oh, sorry bub, you've no choice in the matter," James "Logan" Howlett, the mutant known as Wolverine said with a smirk.

"I agree. This is happening," Sean Bernard, the costumed fighter known as Groundhog said.

"This is too much guys. If you'll excuse me a moment?" Walter said as he got up and headed down the hall to the bathroom.

"About time you arrived," Hightech said causing Walter to jump.

"Can I help you?" Walter asked puzzled by the strange greeting in the bathroom.

"Yes, you can, Tanaraq," Highbrow said as his image fizzled and then shifted taking on that of a very old being with long pointing outward ears holding a walking stick.

"Somon, the great Artificer. Your word is my command," Walter said as he suddenly shifted into Sasquatch but with a darker tint to his fur and evil in his eyes.

"We don't have much time before they wonder where we are," Somon, leader and controller of the Great Beasts said gliding to the door and securing it from being opened.

"How is this possible? We were banned from this realm?" Tanaraq asked feeling slightly dizzy and weak.

"Luckily, when the Demon Storm hit this plane it weakened some veils and with the Zodiac Stones coming into conflict with the sword of Nemesis it allowed me to take possession of the life form called Knapp. Unfortunately I am tied to his other self Hightech and not him but this will still work.

"Using his knowledge of technology and mixing it with my powers I have found a way to bring the rest of the Great Beasts back to Earth by merging into a host," Somon said.

"I take great honor in being your first to bring over," Tanaraq growled.

"You were not the first. Herateq, Tiamaq and Neoaqtoq were brought over right away when I mastered the spell to bring them through the host's soul," Somon said with a sigh.

"Then where are they?" Tanaraq asked in confusion.

"They are dead, but with that I have learned a grave lesson," Somon said.

"Dead? We can't die," Tanaraq roared.

"Keep it down fool. It seems that when we come over this way, we, along with our host, become mortal and vulnerable to death as well as very limited in our abilities and powers. If we die in this state we die for good," Somon hissed.

"Then why do this? How are we to take over this world if we can die and not have our full powers?" Tanaraq growled in anger and fear.

"Because it is only a minor setback. By taking the hosts of those such as Alpha Flight, we are less likely to be killed. Once all of our brethren are here, there is a ritual we can perform that will expel our host's souls allowing us permanent domain that will not only grant us our full powers back but also our Godhood to take over this world with no obstacles," Somon smiled.

"Then let's go. I whole bunch are in the other room," Tanaraq began to say and was silenced by a raised stick.

"It's not that simple. There has to be a connection and sometimes it doesn't work and when it does I don't know who will come through. If we go marching in there and just one of them doesn't work then we are exposed," Somon said.

"How did you know I would work?" Tanaraq asked.

"Don't be an idiot. You and the one called Sasquatch have the greatest bond. That is why after the first three died I knew to call you," Somon said.

"Is everything all right in there?" Jaimon Kwan, the Alphan known as Shiver asked through the door as she pushed on a locked door.

"You fool, you, wait, that is the one called Shiver. Powers over the cold. Olanik etisua remintin," Somon shouted through the door as he opened it.

"What did you, oh!" Shiver explained as she saw the two beasts.

"I said, Olanik etisua remintin!" Somon shouted as he raised his walking stick and invoked his spell.

Tanaraq prepared to strike when he saw Shiver start convulsing. Somon pulled her into the bathroom as she began to transform. Shiver suddenly grew taller, muscular and sprouted crème colored fur all over her body. In moments Shiver was gone and replaced with an ape-like looking beast with colored oval earrings. The beast looked around in puzzlement and then grunted as he recognized the two in front of him.

"Tanaraq, Somon," the beast said as he bowed before Somon.

"Kolomaq, welcome back," Somon said as he nodded at his fellow Beast.

"What is going on here?" Kolomaq asked.

"I will fill you in, but first, we must be careful and play it safe while I finish using Hightech's gifts to cross reference their database and find the best matches for the rest of our brethren," Somon said as he filled in the Snow Beast and then allowed themselves to revert back to their host's forms.

_**Epilogue**_

_**New York City**_

"Is this wise? What if you're recognized?" Arlette Truffaet asked as she and her companions trudged through the wind and the cold towards Broadway.

"I don't care. I've been cooped up for so long I just needed to get out," Adrian Carbo said as he found the cold on his face felt refreshing and intoxicating

"I really don't think it matters. He only played dead to help keep Alpha away from all of us," Jared Carbo said as he glanced at his brother and then squeezed Arlette's hand.

"And I would like to keep it that way. Every time we are involved with them something bad happened to us. Last time we were turned into Zodiac Demons and almost all died for real," Arlette said in anger as they turned down an ally to make a shortcut to the theatre they were heading to.

"Greetings," a woman said as they stopped short to find a woman in a strange all black outfit.

"We don't want any trouble," Arlette said as she flexed her hands and readying her powers while she saw Adrian's hands becoming blades and felt Jared's shield start to left from where it rested tightly against his skin.

"But I want what's mine. Cancer, Virgo, to me!" The woman shouted as she raised her hands.

Jared called on his powers as he heard his girlfriend and brother begin to scream horribly while something sharp and hard hit him in the chest causing him to black out.

**Next: Issue #36 – Lost and Found – Part Three & Alpha Flight: Return of Beasts – Part Three**


	37. Lost and Found Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #36 – Lost and Found – Part Three**

_**Unknown Space**_

_**Aboard Te & Va's Ship**_

"This ship isn't the X-Ship but it's better than the thing we had been on," Emma Frost said to Havok as they watched the dead ship they had been on start to drift off away into space.

"Our hosts are safely locked up in separate cells and on the far side from Mystique," Havok said.

"Last thing we need is for them to team up with her. Luckily their telepathy is only limited to each other which really does us no good separating them," Frost grumbled.

"You're just mad that someone out there is more powerful than you are," Angel smirked.

"They are not more powerful than me, birdman. It's that when they us their powers together he shows her what she needs to do to use her powers to make me see blankness when I try and enter their minds," Frost spat while Havok tried not to laugh.

"Who's watching over the prisoners?" Havok asked.

"Magnus is and Longshot is keeping him company," Angel answered.

"Boy, they've become real buddies," Frost observed.

"Well, they have battled together and both come from different worlds where they were born and raised as warriors," Havok said as he heard the bridge door open and turned to see who was coming in.

"Still no luck in getting the location of the planet Storm and the others are on or how to get this thing going in the right direction," Slipstream said as he stepped onto the bridge.

"Why won't they help us rescue our friends?" Angel asked with anger.

"They don't feel they can trust our word. They think we will dispose of them the minute they help us. Until we can actually guarantee their safety and release they will not tell us how to find our friends," Slipstream said.

"Maybe I can help?" A female voice said faintly from all around them.

"Heather?" Slipstream asked as he glanced around looking for his sister.

"Yes, Davis, it's me. I was so lost within the darkness and to hear your voice again," the X-Man known as Lifeguard pleaded with fear and excitement.

"It's her. Believe it or not I can feel a mind within the ship and it belongs to Heather Cameron," Emma Frost said as she reached out and tried to connect with the X-Man.

"What happened, how did this happen?" Havok asked looking over at Slipstream who was just as worried and concerned.

"She's weak, your presence on the bridge was enough to jerk her awake but she is having trouble sustaining. I'm trying to help her and serve as an anchor," Emma said as she strained even more as she reached out and used Davis as well.

"I'm not quite sure. All I remember is the two bald orange aliens stealing our ship off the island and then getting hit by something very painful and then drifting in darkness until I heard our voice and started waking up," Heather's voice came more strongly within their minds courteous of Emma.

"It seems that her body's powers adapted her form allowing her to survive and was somehow turned to energy and was absorbed and merged into the ship itself. I'm trying to guide her to the forefront and trigger her powers," Emma told them all.

"I will kill those two for what they did to my sister," Davis said in anger.

"If we do that then we will never know how to find the others," Angel said as, thanks to Emma, they had all seen visual proof that some of their numbers were in fact stranded on an island while sharing with her the mental images of what they had been through.

"Actually, thanks to Emma and my powers I can handle that request," Lifeguard said as the ship began to glow and shake.

It became very clear that with Emma's help, Heather had fully become one with the ship and was now in control of the ship and basically was now the ship. The ship began to change color as Heather shot a beam out, absorbed the drifting ship back into her along with other debris so her body, the ship could transform into what she needed it to be to survive. Havok couldn't believe it as the ship shifted and became very similar to the X-Ship they had once had and was now a goldish color with the words Starship Lifeguard across the sides of the ship. Heather felt great to be alive again, well as close as being alive as you could being a living ship.

"Heather?" Davis asked as he saw the image of his sister projected all over the viewing screens.

"Yup, it seems that since I am one with the ship I can, like my body, change it into what I need. I have already tracked our departure route and turning myself around," Lifeguard said.

"I know this can't be easy for you, but once we get home we will find a way to get you back to normal," Havok said as Slipstream confirmed in agreement.

"According to the coordinates, we are really far away from this planet. By the time we get there and back this way we could lose the Other's and their trail," Angel said.

"So which friends do we go after?" Emma asked with a smirk of interest at Havok.

"Actually, Davis, if we combine our powers I should be able to get us to the planet and back here in no time and still track the Others," Lifeguard said as two devises rose up from the console for Slipstream to insert his arms in.

"This is great, we don't need those two aliens anymore," Angel said.

"Yeah, and I can't wait till I get my hand on them," Davis said as he placed his arms into the slots and felt his powers merging with his sister's.

"Actually, we may have to spare them a little longer," Emma said as she came back from a far away look.

"What are you talking about?" Havok asked.

"The female, Ta, just opened up her mind to me and is aware of us not needing them anymore, but she just told me that if we guarantee their safety and freedom after we rescue our friends on the planet they can help us with two major problems," Emma said.

"And what is that?" Havok asked.

"Her mate, Te can see what needs to be done and he happened to pass the infirmary and got a good look in. If we make the deal, not only can he help Bobby learn to reform himself but he can tell us what we need and how to fix Avalanche's spine so he can move again," Emma said as they all looked at each other knowing they had no choice but to make the deal.

_**Epilogue**_

The sky crackles and flashes with light and roars with loud thunder as something comes crashing through the atmosphere. As it gets closer to the earth it is clear that it is a very small spacecraft that is on fire and is damaged beyond repair. The whole ground shakes as it hits with great impact. There is movement from within as the craft continues to burst into flames. Zan Marko, the mutant known as Spirit shakes his head as he tries to remain conscious. Last thing he remembered was running from the Others and making a getaway on a small craft he found on board their ship. They were on his tail and nearly blasted his ship into nothing. He was afraid he wasn't going to escape and he wouldn't have if it wasn't for the fancy flying by….

"Petra?" He screamed suddenly remembering he wasn't alone.

He looked over and saw she was off to the side and wasn't moving. He couldn't get a good view since he was strapped in his chair and couldn't get the safety belts to release. He was stuck and he could feel the flames getting hotter and closer. He knew he didn't have a lot of time before the flames burned them alive or the whole ship going up. He wasn't sure what to do. Out of the group he had always been the quietest and the least courageous. Even though he didn't remember his time before waking up in this sector of space and only had the memories of what they had been told about their previous lives, he could feel in his soul he had always been this way. He knew that now, more than ever, that would all have to change or he and Petra would die.

Closing his eyes, Zan concentrated and called on his powers. He felt a surge of power cross through his body and his mind and soul open up as he pushed with all his might. Suddenly he no longer felt the heat of the fire or the pain of the physical world. He was now floating above his chair in his ghost form. Taking one last glance at the empty chair he had just been trapped in he floated safely past and through the flames until he reached where Petra was lying. He could tell she was pinned under a piece of the ship that had caved in upon impact. What he couldn't tell was if she was still alive or not. Closing his eyes and concentrating he was soon back in his physical form and could feel the intense heat of the fire around them.

"Petra, wake up, please," Spirit said as he reached out and touched her face and felt relieved when he felt her spirit still within her body.

Zan didn't know what to do. There was no way he could lift and pull her free and in his ghost form he had no influence over the physical world. If he didn't do something she would surly die. The craft shook as the side of the ship exploded. Zan closed his eyes and held his friend's hand as he awaited their pending death. After a few seconds, when he felt a strange breeze instead of agonizing death he opened his eyes to find part of the side of the ship had been blown away. As the smoke cleared he realized that what blew the side open had not been from the fire but from an outside source. We watched as two figure came into view and approached the whole in the ship.

One was a woman with bright red skin with long flowing blue hair that matched her blue eyes, lips and nails. She wore a bikini outfit made of some kind of animal hide. Standing next to her was a Caucasian male in a matching loin cloth with short brown hair, semi-muscular build and what looked like balls of energy for eyes. The man stepped closer as he and the woman spoke in a strange language. Spirit had no idea what they were saying but he got a feeling that they weren't here to harm them. The man then said something to him in his strange tongue. Spirit looked at him for a second and then informed the man that he had no idea what he was saying even though he knew the man wouldn't understand him either. Zan was about to laugh at himself when the strange man paused and then smirked.

"You speak English. It's been forever since I've heard or spoken it. Don't worry, my name's Scott Summers and I'm here to help you," the man said in perfect English as he held out his hand to Zan for assistance while the woman stepped over to Petra and easily lifted the piece of ship that was pinning her.

_**

* * *

**_

Alpha Flight

**Return of Beasts – Part Three**

_**Canada – Tavern – Bachelor Party**_

"I told you I didn't want to do this," Walter said as he was lead into a tavern by his friends.

"Try and relax. Barkeep, a round for everyone," Wolverine called out.

"I want no trouble in here, you hear me Logan?" The tavern owner called back as he started to fill up glasses.

"Don't worry, you know me," Wolverine laughed as he lit up a cigar.

Walter laughed as they all headed into a back room reserved for them. Now sitting at a big table was James Howlett, Mac Hudson, Jean-Paul Beaubier, Whitman Knapp, Bucky Sadler aka James Barnes, Sean Bernard, Chuck Moss, Albert Louis and Madison Jeffries. Walter was glad that they kept it small and restricted to Alpha Members. The only two not present that he wished were here were Shaman and Puck. Shaman couldn't be reached with Salem-X and Puck was off somewhere searching for his daughter's mother. He was glad Madison made it, despite his soon to be wife's protests, and that his adoptive son Jayson had stayed back at Flight Industries to look after the Beta Flight kids. As happy as he was, a part of him suddenly wished he was somewhere else.

"What's wrong, getting cold feet?" Madison asked as he slapped his old friend on the back.

"Back off," Walter snapped suddenly as he grabbed Madison's hand and threw him across the room.

"Whoa, Walter, what gives?" Jean-Paul asked as he moved with great speed to catch Madison.

"I don't know, been feeling edgy lately," Walter said not knowing why he had done that.

"It's marriage. It'll do that to you. That's why I try to avoid it," Wolverine said as he sniffed a few times.

"Maybe you need a drink to calm the nerves," Sean said as he went to check on the drinks.

"Something don't smell right," Logan whispered to Mac as he passed by and catching a quick look from Knapp.

"I think maybe you all need to leave me alone," Walter growled as he shoved passed everyone turning into Sasquatch but with a different tint to his fur.

"That's not Walter," Wolverine said as Mac nodded in agreement.

"Tanaraq, you fool," Somon said after Whitman screamed as Hightech tore out of his body and shifted form into an old pointy eared being.

"This can't be. You and your kind were banished form this realm," Guardian said as his clothes ripped away to reveal his Guardian suit.

"Darn you Logan!" Wolverine heard the barkeep shout as he extracted his claws.

"I have no choice. Olanik Etisua Remintin!" Somon shouted as he struck his staff to the floor.

Immediately Earthmover and Feedback went into convulsions as they were replaced by Great Beasts. Earthmover became a white swampy looking creature known as Tundra the Earth Beast while Feedback became the beast made of fire with a black face in the center known as Tolomaq the Beast of Fire. Before anyone could react a man from the main bar stood in the doorway and roared as he transformed into a large hulk-like creature with claws and teeth. He was becoming the Great Beast known as Kariooq the Corruptor. Just as Kariooq was about to attack a hole blew out of his chest and the creature dropped to one knee.

"I will not have monsters in my bar," the barkeep shouted holding out his smoking gun.

"Kariooq, no!" Somon roared as the Great Beast disintegrated into smoke and ash leaving a man lying on the floor, dead form a large bullet wound.

"Looks like these Beasts are in a weak and mortal state and can finally die," Guardian said.

"Yes, but so do their hosts, our friends," Sean said in horror at the dead man on the floor.

"Get everyone out of here now," Wolverine shouted at the barkeep and then turned to face the four Great Beasts.

"We may be weak, but we will destroy you and this planet," Tanaraq growled.

"And you will not kill your friends," Somon smiled.

"Who said any of you were my friends?" Wolverine asked as he leapt at the old one.

"Logan, no!" Mac shouted after his feral friend.

As they watched Wolverine go in for the attack Tundra stepped up and waved his swampy arm. The Earth ripped up from the ground and slammed into the mutant with great force sending him back and away from their leader. Madison quickly called on his powers and in moments had pulled forth enough material to create and form his Box suit around him. He quickly fired off blasts but they had no effect on Tolomaq as the blasts went harmlessly into his fire form and he caused all the lanterns in the tavern to explode and send their flames at the humans before them. Northstar moved at great speed and created a vortex of wind to carry the fire away and then snuff out. The Great Beasts laughed as they watched the humans scramble.

"How are we going to take them out? Even at weaker levels of power they will be tough to take down without harming our friends," Sean said as they all gathered together and glared at Wolverine as he got up from where he had landed.

"It won't matter. Now that all the remaining Beasts have assembled here on Earth we will no prepare the ritual to permanently take over your friend's bodies which will grant us our full powers and immortality," Somon said as the wall behind him blasted apart revealing a hole leading outside and two women approaching.

They all looked in surprise as Shiver and Mystic stood there and soon began to transform after Somon shouted his incantation once again. Shiver became the Snow Beast known as Kolomaq while Mystic became the large purple floating head known as Ranaq the Devourer. As all six surviving Great Beasts stood side by side they seemed to get a little larger in size. Somon smiled as he gave the command for the Great Beasts to attack and kill all the Alphans as he began the final ritual spell to grant them ultimate domain and power on Earth.

**Next: Issue #37 – Lost and Found – Part Four & Alpha Flight: Return of Beasts – Part Four**


	38. Lost and Found Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #37 – Lost and Found – Part Four**

_**Unknown Planet**_

"How are you feeling, Ororo?" Henry McCoy, the X-Man known as Beast asked.

"Better, still nauseous though," Storm answered.

"I would guess that would be what you call morning sickness," Beast chuckled a little.

"Do we know that for sure?" Colossus asked as he looked at the only other two in the room.

"Not without sufficient medical equipment, no, but based on her symptoms, my medical knowledge and the impression from Krakoa, I would have to say all signs point to yes," Beast said.

"How could you let this happen? I knew it was crazy to let your fling with Magneto carry on," Colossus ranted.

"Excuse me, but who ever said you or anyone had a say on what I do with my life? Erik is not a bad man and he's changed a lot. He's nothing like the man he used to be when you were a member of his Acolytes," Storm spat back with a look of all looks.

"What are your plans?" Beast asked as he glanced down at his hand when he took hers. He was still not used to the fact that he was now human and no longer covered in fur.

"I don't know. I don't even know what his intentions are or what he thinks about all this," Storm responded.

"Then maybe it's time you let him see you and you ask him," Beast suggested as he patted her hand.

"Despite everything, he's old enough to be her father," Colossus declared.

"Well, I don't recall age being a factor when you were chasing after Kitty or saying anything when Warren had his brief fling with Paige Guthrie. The only factor here is that he is Magneto, but Piotr, he is also Erik and a kind man," Storm said as she thought to her self, _when he wants to be. _

"I better go check on the others," Colossus said as he raised her arms and stormed out.

"I'll tell him to come in," Beast said as Storm nodded and he left the room.

"Ororo?" Erik the mutant menace known as Magneto inquired as he stepped in shortly after.

"Yes, I'm pregnant. Now what?" Storm asked looking up at the man.

"You know I've grown very fond of you and," Erik began to say when Ororo jumped up and advanced on him.

"You've grown fond? Fond?" Storm asked with anger as she brushed past him.

"Ororo, wait," Erik pleaded as he grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him.

"What?" Storm asked crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"No matter how I say this, it's not going to come out right. I have only truly loved one woman in my life and that was my precious Magda. My wife meant everything to me," Erik said as he moved closer to her.

"I'm not asking you to marry me. Even I know we are not ready for that kind of commitment. Am I just another woman in your life? Where do I stand or the ba… I… I don't know," Ororo said as she relaxed her arms and turned away slightly.

"Ororo, throughout I have caught the eye of a few women. Some I truly cared about while others where strategic ploys, but no matter what I felt or was between us, I may have felt love but I was never _in _love. With you, there is something there.

"No, listen. The time we have spent together here has been wonderful. I'm trying to be a changed man and I feel I can be a better man with you. I don't know where this will lead but I would really like to find out and if down the road it leads to true love then we can take the next step.

"Until then, I would like continue this journey with you and as for the baby. I may have not been the greatest of fathers, but this time will be different. I want to be there for the child and I swear to you, that no matter what happens between us or in this life, I will always be there to support and protect our baby," Erik said as he took Storm into his arms.

"Erik," Storm began to say and lean into him when a loud roar shook the building.

"What was that?" Erik asked as he moved apart from Storm.

"Ororo, Erik, come quick. A golden ship just flew by and it looks to be landing by the beach," Beast said as he almost collided with the two mutants rushing in.

Between Storm and Magneto's powers they had made it down to the beach in no time. As they got there they saw a golden shuttlecraft landing while a larger ship could be seen higher up in the air. Storm and Magneto exchanged glances and knew if they meant trouble she could take out the ship in the sky while he tore apart the shuttlecraft. As the shuttlecraft settled and powered down the rest of their Brotherhood had gathered behind them. Krakoa stood there silently next to Mammomax while Gambit took a defensive stance. Beast and Colossus stood ready as Juggernaut stepped up next to them. Out of the corner of Storm's eye she could see Sabretooth stepping out of the trees while Wingblade stood back to keep him calm and at bay.

"You think they are hostile?" Juggernaut asked.

"Krakoa senses four minds inside and doesn't feel anything threatening from them," Mammomax interpreted.

"Either way, they will be no match for us," Erik said as he told them to stand ready.

"No killing and try not to damage our new means off this planet," Beast added as Storm nodded.

The shuttlecraft sat there for a moment and then a door opened on the side as a ramp extended out and down. A few seconds after that, four figures began to walk slowly out of the craft. They could immediately tell that it was three men and one woman. Storm didn't recognize the woman even if she did look familiar with her red hair or the man with red hair walking behind her. The two men walking in the lead she would know anywhere and she almost fainted with pure excitement and joy. They had been found and they would be going home.

"Alex, Warren!" Storm screamed as she flew at them and gave the X-Man known as Havok a huge hug.

"Thought I would never see you again my old friend," Beast said as he leapt at Warren and shook his hand.

"And I you, but looks like you've been shedding, a lot," Warren laughed.

"How did you find us?" Colossus asked as he joined his reunited teammates.

"We were actually stranded on a ship and were picked up by some old friends of yours," Havok said as he briefly explained how they had run into Ta and Ve, outsmarted them and stole their ship.

"So Heather is alive and is now apart of the ship?" Colossus asked as he felt happy that Lifeguard had survived.

"Yes, but we can catch up more once we get you back up on the ship," Havok said as they agreed that they could swap stories later.

"Who are these two?" Storm asked as she glanced at the two red heads.

"This is Sway," Havok said as she stepped forward and she gasped in fright as did Krakoa when their eyes met.

"Krakoa says it's her and she's not dead," Mammomax translated.

"Krakoa?" Havok asked in panic at the mini version of that dangerous island.

"Alex, she's no threat," Gambit said as he mentioned as they gave a quick run down of what they had learned from Krakoa about the hidden mutants of Charles.

"Yes, it's true what Charles did. Sway here and her other companions all survived and they are related to the original X-Men. This here is Jean's sister, Suzanne but we can talk more once aboard the ship.

"It appears we will have a lot to talk about," Erik said as he eyed the girl and then rested his eyes upon the boy, sensing something familiar about him.

"Yes we do. Erik, I would like to introduce you to Magnus," Havok began to say when Magnus stepped past him and stepped right up to Magneto.

"Pleasure to finally meet you, grandpa," Magnus said trying to hold his excitement in.

"Grandpa?" Erik asked turning to Havok.

"Yes, may I introduce you to Wanda's son, Wade Harkus," Havok said with a smile as the great Magneto almost feinted.

"We better go, Heather picked up a reading on an Other ship on a nearby planet. We'll want to check it out before heading back after the rest of the X-Men," Warren said as they agreed there would be time to swap stories on their trip.

It took a few trips with the shuttle but soon everyone from the planet had been transported up to the main ship and reunited with the others. Despite the protests, they brought Sabretooth on board as well as Wingblade who promised to keep him under control the best she could. Even Magneto agreed at this time it was better to keep him caged as to not have any accidents. As the last shuttle headed for the ship, they didn't see another figure leap from the jungles and slip secretly onto the side of the shuttlecraft and sneak into their ship. Animala didn't know why she did it, but instinct told her she needed to go with them and follow after the one she wanted.

_**

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**_

Alpha Flight

**Return of Beasts – Part Three**

_**Canada – Tavern**_

"Logan, as much as I'd like to blow these guys to nothing, we can't kill then when there is a chance our friends are still alive in there," Bucky said as he quickly remembered his secret dual identity and extracted his Captain Canada shield from his left arm instead of his gun.

"Well then we better figure something out fast because if he finish his chanting then our friends are dead for sure as well as the rest of this world," Wolverine said as he looked form his friends to his foes.

Wolverine had his claws out as he saw his friends had quickly switched to their costume identities. Guardian and Groundhog here battle suit ready while Bucky was wearing his Captain Canada attire. Madison Jeffries had created him a Box costume out of surrounding material while Northstar tried to tend to a weak and shocked Manikin who was recovered from having his other half ripped out of him. Wolverine hated his new costume and wasn't used to the ability to have your costume appear at will but that's what happens when you have two members that are keen in magic and technology. With a glare from their leader, he tapped his buckle and donned his outfit.

In front of them were six Great Beasts, five standing protectively in front of a sixth who was chanting some incantation. Logan wanted to gut these foul smelling monsters but they were also the host bodies of his friends and teammates. The groom-to-be, Walter had become Tanaraq, Shiver has become Kolomaq, Feedback has become Tolomaq, Earthmover had become Tundra and Mystic had become Ranaq. Manikin's other self, Hightech had turned into the leader of the Great Beasts, Somon. Now Somon was using some ritual to grant them unstoppable power while the others kept them busy. Wolverine smile, their one flaw was that the spell hadn't been completed yet and that made them mortal and if he can't kill them he can sure have fun hurting them.

"I will crush you," Tanaraq said as he leapt to meet Wolverine's attack.

"You can sure try," Wolverine said as he leapt on the fury beast but was just as quickly grabbed and hurled across the room.

"Time for a cold front to move in," Kolomaq said as the ape-like beast raised its arms and suddenly it was blizzarding inside the tavern.

"We need to shut her down before my suit freezes," Guardian said as he tried to stay warm with internal heaters kicking on.

"There has got to be a way to stop them without killing our friends," Groundhog said as he and Box poured out some heat and energy to keep the others from freezing instantly.

"Any smart ideas genius?" Northstar asked Manikin.

"I'm thinking," Manikin said through chattering teeth.

"Quit your yappin' and fight," Captain Canada said as he flung his shield with the strength of his cybernetic arm nailing the great snow beast in the head causing her to drop back and turn off the snowstorm.

"Time to heat things up," Tolomaq said as all the snow instantly melted as the room began to burst into flames.

"I thought this bachelor party was supposed to be low key?" A woman's voice asked as a blast hit the flaming head causing it to waver as another series of blasts put out enough of the fire to allow Northstar to speed up a vacuum to snuff it out.

"This is tame, darlin'" Wolverine said as he rejoined the group in time to greet their party crashers.

"I knew this was bad new when I heard you were planning things, Logan. All I know is I want my husband back," Diamond Lil said as she stepped up in her old Alpha costume and landed a punch on the creature using her man's body and sending him crashing backwards.

Guardian laughed as he looked at the women who had just arrived. Besides Diamond Lil and Warbird who had blasted Tolomaq, Switchblade, Nemesis and Heather Hudson in her own Vindicator suit joined the battle. With their fire power they teamed up with the men to even the field against the Great Beasts. Nemesis leapt and swung her sword at Ranaq, but Tundra stepped up and created a magical vortex that sent her magic back at her causing her to scream and fly backwards. Manikin finally got to his feet and saw that everyone was so distracted that they didn't realize his other half was about to complete the spell to grant them life and power on Earth. He made his way next to Switchblade.

"I need you to switch powers with the old elf creature there. That way he can't do the spell," Manikin whispered.

"I can't. Since my father is her I am restricted from using my powers so not to give myself away," Switchblade said as she drew her swords.

"He won't know, trust me. Just take his powers and I'll do the rest," Manikin said as Switchblade took one look and did as he said.

Switchblade made eye contact with Somon and before he could react she activated her powers. One minute she was staring at the old elf creature and the next she felt a strange energy within herself. It was more than she could handle and she dropped to her knee trying to hold in her screams. Whitman knew he only had moments but knew exactly what he had to do to save them all and the Earth. He ran to Somon and drew out his laser gun.

"You fool. You think killing me will save the day? Your blast may kill your alter ego, but my magic is in another and I will simply leap there and still finish the deed," Somon laughed as he could feel the power slipping from Switchblade.

"That's not what I had in mind," Whitman Knapp said with a smile as he called on his power with all his might.

Somon began to rant as he realized what the man was doing. With is power switched and gone, Somon was completely mortal and one with Hightech's body, which meant that Manikin not only could pull Hightech back into him but Somon as well. Just as Somon and Hightech were almost merged back into Manikin, Whitman yelled for Switchblade to switch back immediately. A large mystical ball of energy soared away from her body as hit headed back to Somon. Just as the power touched them all, but before it returned completely to Somon, Manikin used some knowledge freshly obtained from Hichtech's once shared mind with Somon and invoked a spell. The instant the spell was released and a flash went off, Whitman turned his gun on himself and pulled the trigger.

"No!" Heather screamed as every Alphan and Great Beast turned to see Whitman's lifeless body fell forward as the ghostly image of Somon rose up and then exploded into smoke and ash.

"The great one is dead," Kolomaq declared in a roar of anger.

"Kill them all!" Tanaraq screamed as the remaining five beasts turned to attack and avenger their leader.

Just as the beast began to step forward they all stopped and began to roar in agony. Not only had Whitman killed their leader but had also used Somon's magic against them all. They could feel themselves separating from their hosts but without the spell to allow them physical form on this plane they were dissipating into nothing. In a matter of seconds the Great Beasts were no more as they vanished into nothing and Mystic, Earthmover, Feedback, Shiver and Sasquatch to return to and regain back their own forms. Lillian quickly ran over and hugged Walter tightly as the others assisted the other newly converted back.

"He gave his life to save us all," Heather said with tears.

"How are we going to handle this with the public?" Guardian asked as he put a hand on her shoulder to have it quickly brushed off with an appalled look.

"I think maybe we should postpone the wedding," Lillian said as Walter nodded.

"Actually, you all don't have to do any of that," a voice said causing them to all turn around.

Standing behind them was Whitman Knapp. They all shook their heads as they glanced at him and then back over to the body on the ground that now looked like a melted wax figure than Knapp. Wolverine leapt up and moved right up to the new Whitman Knapp and started to sniff.

"It smells like him but a little faint distinct difference," Wolverine said as he circled the man.

"Explain yourself, who are you?" Captain Canada asked as he eyed the man.

"For all purposes, I am Whitman Knapp. Before he died and killed Somon to save you all, he cast a last minute spell that would not only get rid of the remaining Beasts but grant me my own body and a chance at something I've wanted, my own body to live," the man said.

"What do you mean?" Heather asked.

"What you see there is the ecto and bio remains of Whitman, Ape and Proto. Whitman released and gave me full and sole control of our body. Whitman Knap is now truly only one person, one body. I, Hightech, am now Whitman Knapp," Hightech said as he shifted into his costume of Hightech.

"Looks like Whitman is still alive and on the team, just the future version of our friend," Groundhog said.

"I'll just have to move Hightech up from secret member and announce that Manikin decided to change his codename," Heather said.

"As for the wedding. Whitman would be upset if you postponed your wedding. He would insist that you carryon as normal for Whitman is not truly dead. He still lives on through me," Hightech said as he attempted a smile.

"Then we have a wedding to finalize and a bachelor party to finish," Wolverine said as he put his arms around both Walter and Lillian and moved them back towards the front bar as the other began clean up.

_**Epilogue One**_

"What a nice little secret service they held for you," a woman in an all black outfit said as she stood above the small grave they had placed the cremated remains of the remaining forms of Whitman Knapp.

"Even in this state you can't keep what is mine from me. Aquarius, Taurus and Libra, come to me," the woman said as she held out her hand and three glowing orbs formed and left the burial site and absorbed into the woman's body.

"Only four more to go and then the world will bow down to Madam Zodiac," the woman laughed as she faded back into the darkness and was gone.

_**Epilogue Two**_

"I don't understand?" a large and muscular man with red hair said as he looked down from the mountain side.

"The fool should have known better to mess with magic he shouldn't mess with. When casting a spell like he did there has to be a cosmic balance. Thanks to that and my quick magical backlash I managed to save us from death as well," a pale looking man with white dreadlocks said stepping up to the other man.

"Yes, but now we are forever stuck in the form of mortal man and powerless," the muscular man said.

"We may be mortal but we now have rights to be on this Earth and as for being powerless, some things are only temporary," the pale man said with a smile as he leaned on his walking cane that he inherited as leader and gathered together the muscular man and the other three newly turned humans to him.

**Next: Issue #38 – The Others – Part One & Alpha Flight: When Weapons Collide – Part One**


	39. The Others Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #38 – The Others – Part One**

_**Deep Space**_

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"How much farther till we reach the planet?" Slipstream asked as he looked at the ship's computer monitors.

"I should have us there in under an hour," Lifeguard's voice acme from around him.

"I am so glad you're alive, but I still can't get used to you being a ship. We will find a way to reverse the effects," Slipstream told his sister.

"Hey, it does have its advantages. I can see and hear what goes on throughout this whole ship," Slipstream said as her image came up on a monitor so her brother could see her smile.

"I bet that's juicy, especially with all that's going on," Slipstream said as he was glad to be alone up at the deck alone.

No sooner had they all been reunited back on Lifeguard that they discovered Animala. It seemed that she had taken a liking to Beast, and even though he was no longer fury she still felt an animalistic connection to him. Beast wasn't sure if it was from the old bond when he was under her spell or not but he did feel something too. He, along with the others had trouble trusting her after what she had done. Beast speaking for her and the fact that her people had turned on her after being defeated and losing her amulet and she waved a control over Sabretooth with her limited powers granted her stay on the ship but confined to the cell block for now. Havok's motto was that it was just one more person to help battle the Others while Wingblade wanted her to stay clear of her man.

Beast had a lot going on in his mind. He had always held Charles Xavier in high regard, but to find out he had a brother out there that Charles had hidden from them had really upset him. With this secret revealed it made Henry wonder what could be believed and what has been covered up or manipulated. How much of what they know about each other is true or Charles made? There were too many questions and not enough answers. He just hoped he got the chance to find his brother and get to bond like the others have, like Warren and his sister and Magneto and Magnus who had spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other while helping out in his lab.

With his medical expertise and Lifeguard's ability to create the equipment he needed he was able to get to work on the injured with the help of both Erik and Wade and direction of Ta and Ve who were doing everything they could to make up for what they did and earn their continued passage on the ship. They had directed Wade, Erik, Lifeguard and Beast on what needed to be done to repair Avalanche's spinal cord. It was a success. It would be a long road of therapy before he could be back up to where he was but at least he could move again. Iceman was a different story.

They had showed him what needed to be done but he was still too depressed and stubborn to do what needed to be done to repair himself. Henry hoped that if and when they found his sister that it would be the added push to get him back. His other patient was his favorite, Storm. Now that he had his equipment he had been able to properly examine his old friend. There had been al lot of comments, out load and behind backs, from Havok and his crew when they found out that not only had Storm hooked up with their greatest enemy but had also gotten pregnant. They were having more trouble with that than living with a smaller version of the great Krakoa, but they all knew the real story now. Charles would have a lot to answer for once they caught up with him.

"So, how does everything look?" Magneto asked as he entered the room.

"Everything thing looks good. I would say she is almost a month along," Beast answered.

"Thank you, Henry. Despite the father, I am excited to be a mother," Storm said as she gave a playful, evil grin to Magneto.

"Well, it looks like we have two things in common now don't we dear," Mystique said as she came into the room escorted by Emma Frost, Havok, Magnus, Gambit, Colossus and Sway who had her powers ready to keep any advantage away from the evil shape changer.

"I see the one thing, but I don't believe it," Storm said as she saw the very pregnant Mystique.

"Oh, don't forget the second thing, our babies share the same father," Mystique said as she smiled at Magneto.

"What?" Storm asked as her anger caused her to push away from Erik and then turn, almost ready to pounce on the blue skinned woman.

"You lie. It's not possible," Magneto said as he looked at Mystique with grave anger and murder in his eyes.

"I told you he couldn't be trusted," Colossus said as he tightened his grip on the woman.

"Ease up everyone. As much as I don't want to defend Magneto, but it was a long before we ventured out into space and it there is a possibility that it belongs to another," Havok said.

"So you need my talents and Erik's DNA to determine the parentage," Beast nodded as he motioned for them to strap the blue skinned woman to a table.

"Who else's could it be I wonder?" Gambit asked as he looked at everyone in the room.

"Never mind that," Frost began to say when Raven Darkholme began to laugh.

"Heaven forbid it turns out to be Scott's huh?" Raven interrupted as everyone stared at Frost.

"When she was staying with the X-Men that brief time she made herself look like me and fool Scott. Who knows how many men she has fooled over the years," Frost spat a look at everyone just daring them to say a word.

"So it could be Scott's?" Storm whispered as she looked at Havok who had the same worried and disgusted look on his face.

"Well, it wont be long and I'll be able to tell a great many things," Beast said as Lifeguard gave him the equipment he needed and he began to run tests.

"Wow, who needs television when you got this?" Slipstream asked with a chuckle as he watched what was going on in the med lab.

"I know what you're saying," Lifeguard answered her brother.

"I do have to worry though. What if Magneto becoming good is an act? Think about it, a child with both Mystique and Storm. You can't tell me that wasn't planned. Those could be very powerful babies and now he is chumming up to his new grandson. He could be p to something," Slipstream said.

"Oh, Davis, you and your imagination. Trust me, I've spent time on that island with Magneto and some of the Brotherhood. Sometimes people are only as evil as you view them or make them out to be," Lifeguard said.

"Wow, he must have really sold you guys to come to Magneto's defense. Either way, I'm sure it will all go back to normal once we get home. So, how are you feeling about Neal?" Slipstream asked changing the subject. Davis had almost wondered if he shouldn't have told her about her former lover turned Horseman.

"Don't worry, it was over long before we came to space. I have to quit chasing after the ones that are no good for me or can't give me back what I need," Lifeguard said as her thoughts moved to Sabretooth. What was wrong with her? Why did she always go for the bad guys? Maybe it was best she got merged into the ship and Wingblade latched onto Creed.

"Being your brother and the sound of your voice I can sense there is someone else maybe? Meet someone on the island?" Slipstream teased.

"No, I don't know," Lifeguard said not knowing how to really answer or if she should.

"It's Colossus, isn't it? I could tell by the concern in his voice and excitement when he learned you were still alive," Slipstream said with a smile.

"He's nice but I don't know if he's really my type," Lifeguard said knowing if she could she would blush. Not because she knew that Piotr did like her, but because he wasn't her first choice. Despite her secret crush on Creed, she had secretly been seeing and getting to know another potential bad seed, Cain Marko, the Juggernaut. A relationship they both decided to keep secret despite how little defined it really was yet. Did she always gravitate to bad men or, like her powers, she sought out mates that would secure her survival?

"Well, if you ask me, I think," Slipstream began to say when flashing light began to sound.

"Sorry, bro, looks like we are approaching the planet as well as a battle zone," Lifeguard said as she buzzed down into the med lab.

"Havok, we are approaching the planet," Slipstream and Lifeguard's voices came over the com.

"Hold on for a moment we are in the middle of Mystique's test result," Havok said as he put them on mute.

"As I was saying it appears that there's more going on than we thought," Beast said as he stared over at Raven.

"Is there something wrong with the baby?" Magneto asked.

"Is it Scott's?" Frost asked in unison with Magneto.

"Well, the babies are perfectly fine and it appears that the genetic tests confirm that Erick and Scott are the fathers," Beast said as the room went oddly silent.

"Babies, you are saying that she is somehow pregnant at the same time by both Erik and Scott?" Havok asked as Storm gave a concerned look from Erik to Raven.

"Well, at least to two of the babies," Henry said as he stared at the monitor and ultrasound tests and scans.

"You mean there are more than two babies?" Magnus asked as he noticed that the blue woman was grunting in pain as her belly seemed to grow bigger and look more natural.

"According to the tests and scans, I am detecting eight babies and each of them has a different genetic makeup and mutant gene meaning that she somehow fathered babies from different mutants. It will take me time but I should be able to tell who they all belong too but along with Scott and Erik, I'm seeing traces of Mr. Sinister and Apocalypse," Beast said as he looked up at a woman who, through her sweating brow, did not look surprised at all.

"Looks like you got some explaining to do," Havok said as he stepped up to the evil and very pregnant mutant.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we've come across a planet being devastated by an attack from the Others," Slipstream said as he broke through in a booming voice.

"Can we hold back? We've got a little situation down here?" Havok asked.

"Actually, despite already being detected, I am picking up several mutant signatures on the planet below and on one of the Other's ships," Lifeguard said.

"This is not good," Frost commented.

"You're telling me, I think my water just broke," Mystique said as she began to scream with labor pains.

_**

* * *

**_

Alpha Flight

**When Weapons Collide – Part One**

_**Canada – Church of St. Mary**_

"Are you nervous my friend?" Mac asked the fidgeting man next to him.

"I can't believe this is happening. Give me The Master or Dr. Doom any day, that I can handle, but this," Walter Langkoskwi said nervously as he stood up by the alter and looking down the aisle, past the pews of people where his future wife would soon appear.

Even though a huge fancy wedding would have been nice, they had decided to keep it low key and keep it strictly small and close nit friends and family. Walter looked to his left and nodded at his best man and long time friend and team mate, James "Mac" Hudson. He then looked at the rest of his groomsmen, Sean Bernard, Madison Jeffries, which his wife wasn't too thrilled with and Northstar. He looked across the alter and saw the three bridesmaids, Jaimon Kwan, Amelia Weatherly and Ananym whom all served with her during her time with Gamma Flight and Department H and finally the maid of honor, Heather Hudson. Walter thought she was beautiful and he knew Mac did too. Walter hoped that one day Heather would overcome what they've been through and remarry the man, hell she's kept his last name all this time.

With a nervous smile he nodded at their minister, Mike Twoyoungmen. He was so glad that Mike had been able to break away from Salem-X and come perform the ceremony for them. As great as it was to see his old friend, he still had to get used to the fact the man had somehow de-aged back to his twenties. As the music began to sound he looked down the aisle. He saw the few faces of those that had come to attend. The current members of Alpha Flight, Captain Canada, Warbird, Switchblade, who was sitting with her mom Jodi, and Hightech had all come as well. He also saw Earthmover, Feedback, Madison's new wife Mindy and their one year old daughter Jessi Marie and adopted son Jayson Landon, Portal who had come with Shaman and her boyfriend Salem and the group of Beta Flight kids he and Lil had taken in, Ghost Girl, Spitfire, Mastodon and Spark.

It wasn't a huge group but this was their family. Lillian was an only child and her parents had died when she was very young while Walter's own parents were deceased as well. His only living relative was his son, Ben but he hadn't seen him since he was a little child. After they had divorced she had moved to Australia to live with her parents and took their son with him. After he had become Sasquatch and became a part of Department H and Alpha Flight, they agreed it was in the best safety of their child to severe all contact. So he sent her checks and presents for him, while she sent him letters and pictures to keep him updated. He had hoped they could come for the wedding but Veronica said that Ben was getting ready to graduate high school and this would not be the best time to reveal who his father is, but maybe soon.

All thoughts of this vanished when everyone stood up and his beautiful bride appeared at the end of the aisle. Lillian Crawly soon to be Lillian Langkoskwi was dressed in the most extravagant dress he had ever seen. Jodi had outdone herself. He was so happy he had no choice but to let a few tears trickle down his face. In what seemed like eternity, she was finally by his side and they took each other's hands as they joined together and moved into a new journey, together for the rest of their lives.

_**Flight Industries**_

_**The Basement Holding Cells**_

"This wasn't even a challenge," a man said as he made his way down a hallway.

"To be fair sir, despite the cloaking tech you have, everyone is at the wedding," a voice fed into the man's ear piece.

"Don't undermine the power of Weapon Superior, Jeeves. Look how easily I penetrated that prison and killed Wyre," Weapon Superior said.

"Yes, but was it necessary to kill all those guards and the prisoner next to him?" Jeeves asked back.

"The one they call Killspree? I had to. He opened his eyes and saw my face and I didn't want to leave any witnesses," Weapon Superior answered.

"Why not simply blow this place up or attack the church?" Jeeves asked.

"No, we must follow the plan. First I kill the remaining Weapons so that I can truly be the Weapon Superior. Once that is done, then I take down the members of Alpha Flight and any other members connected to the Flight program or Department H. Plus, I would hate to ruin someone's wedding day," Weapon Superior said as he moved to the room he was looking for.

"If that's the case, what about Sabretooth, as the last member of Team X, excluding Weapon X, he is missing in space?" Jeeves asked.

"I will worry about that later. First I will focus on the reaming ones I can easily get to, like Department K recruit, Wild Child and here we are," Weapon Superior said as he found the door and entered.

"Be careful, boss and think, once Kyle is dead, Deadpool will be the only member of Department K left alive," Jeeves said.

"Don't worry, I, wait, who are you?" Weapon Superior asked in sudden surprise.

Standing in front of a cell holding the very feral Wild Child was a woman dressed in a strange black outfit. To her left was a dead body of a woman his scanners told him was Double Trouble. It looked as if a hole had been burned in the middle of her chest. She appeared to be about to open Wild Child's cell when he had walked in on her. She had stopped and turned, now facing him.

"Well, I don't recall seeing you as a resident of this place," the woman said.

"I'm not, I've come to kill that man there if you would so kindly get out of my way," Weapon Superior said as he stepped further in allowing the lights to shine off his completely form fitting silver armored outfit with a black and red cape attached to it and a "W", "S" on his chest.

"Well, aren't you the cutest thing. Love the cape. Who are you supposed to be, Wonder Shine?" The woman laughed.

"I am Weapon Superior and if you kindly step aside I can be on my way," Weapon Superior said with a bit of charm in his voice.

"Sir, are you trying to flirt?" Jeeves asked though his ear piece but was ignored.

"Nice, I'm Madam Zodiac and you can have him when I get what's mine," Madam Zodiac said as she turned toward the cell.

"Actually, I knew there was a reason I didn't go to that wedding," a voice from the shadows said followed by a shnikt sound.

"Sooner than I had planned but a pleasure to finally meet you, Weapon X," Weapon Superior said as his arms both morphed into long sharp blades.

"Oh, you're the one I've heard all about, well you've killed for the last time, bub," Wolverine said as he leapt form the shadows and flew at Weapon Superior and Madam Zodiac.

**Next: Issue #39 – The Others – Part Two & Alpha Flight: When Weapons Collide – Part Two**


	40. The Others Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #39 – The Others – Part Two**

_**Deep Space**_

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

_**Medical Quarters**_

"Can't you shape shift or something?" Havok asked.

"You think this is easy? You try pushing eight babies out your," Mystique began to scream through intense pain.

"Raven, concentrate. You managed to use your powers up until now to hide this all for numerous months," Beast interrupted and stared at the woman.

"Yeah, but it was all I could do with my powers to hold the babies in and hide them. They were all conceived at different times, some many months apart, but they will all be released and born the same age. My abilities no longer affect them and are all messed up right now. It's all I can do to try and keep me and the babies alive. It's the only reason I came back with you all was to find Forge," Mystique screamed in more pan as the babies wanted to come out but she was powerless to help them.

"It's true, her body as given up the ability to shape shift or even move. These babies want to come out but can't and if we try an old-fashioned C-section it could kill them all since her skin refuses to part," Lifeguard said as she did the scans.

"So you didn't come back to find out if Magneto was the father? You knew the whole time didn't you?" Storm asked with a mix of emotions.

"What games are you playing woman?" Magneto demanded.

"The only reason I went on the mission with you was because I knew I was reaching the point that I would have to give birth and Mr. Sinister told me to go to Apocalypse to present the babies as a gift and he would be able to harvest them properly but we all know how that turned out," Mystique said.

"Why didn't you say something to Forge when you were with him? Or stay on Earth?" Havok asked.

"I told Forge about the babies when we were about to fall at the hand of the Others and that one of them was his. He had a few choice words for me and didn't believe me and being rejected by the only other person, besides Irene that I've ever loved I shot him and went through the portal, little did I know that Sinister would be dead and I had no other options," Raven grunted as she screamed in pain.

"So you came back with us in hopes of finding Forge, the only person you knew you could manipulate with the abilities to help you and the babies survive child birth," Emma finished her thoughts without even having to read her mind.

"Yeah, things aren't quite working out that way. I was so sure I had more time," Raven said as she screamed and blood began to drip from her nose.

"These babies are ready and we have to work now. You're lucky that you have a doctor and a ship that can provide you with the great chance of survival," Beast said as he started barking orders.

"I can't believe this," Magneto said as he looked from Raven to Storm.

"I want you all out of here. The less stress the better. Me, Lifeguard and Sway can handle this. You all take care of our attackers and make sure we all survive to whiteness the childbirth," Beast ordered.

"Me?" Sway asked nervously.

"Yes, with your abilities you can stop time around Raven and her babies to give me the time I need to succeed," Beast said as the others left the room.

"We shouldn't leave her alone in there," Frost said as the door closed behind.

"Don't worry. That door is sealed and I am the only one that can open it. There is no way anyone is getting in or out," Lifeguard said to them.

"Okay we need to divide into three forces. One to help Lifeguard ward off the attacks on us, one to make it to that ship with mutant signatures and then another to sneak planet side and rescue our mutants down there," Havok said as Lifeguard patched everyone together on the ship on the conference, except the three in childbirth.

"I will go planet side sine my powers will work the best there," Storm said.

"No, you will remain on the ship in your condition," Magneto commanded.

"I will not. I will be fine and so will our baby," Storm said as lightening crackled in her eyes.

"We don't have time for this, as hard as it is to say everyone is needed," Frost said as she got a few evil glances.

"I hate to agree but she is right. Everyone is needed," Havok said as the words drove at Iceman.

"I will go as well," Avalanche proclaimed.

"You are not able," Longshot began to say.

"Havok said everyone and I can fight. Put me in a suit and I can float in space easily and not be affected by gravity and movement. I can use my power to rip apart any ships coming at us," Avalanche said.

"And Magneto will be out there helping you," Havok said.

"No, I go with Storm," Magneto said.

"Erik, you can't. You would be distracted worrying about me. Your job is to keep them from killing your other child in there and to make sure I have a flight path back when we're done," Storm said as she leaned over and despite everything, kissed him.

"Eww, guess I'd better go so I don't have to see this," Iceman said as he stepped into the room, a little bigger and edgier.

"Good to see you pulled yourself together," Havok said.

"Well, Ve and Stacy X did show me what needed to be done and if my sister happens to be on that ship I will get her," Iceman said as Frost sensed something different about the once boy now man.

"Magneto, Avalanche, Magnus, Colossus and I will take on the ships that come near Lifeguard while Lifeguard and Slipstream pilot the ship. Storm will lead Sabretooth, Animala and Wingblade to keep him in check as well as Krakoa, Océana, Stacy X and Mammomax to the planet below. Frost will take Te, Va, Gambit, Longshot, Angel, Iceman and Juggernaut to the ship with our friends on it," Havok gave the command as the three teams spilt up and headed to their destinations.

_**Planet Below**_

"Pretty impressive. Hard to believe you and Bobby are related," Cyclops said as he sent an eye blast of energy that blew apart three demonic looking robots.

"Yeah, but it won't matter for long. There are too many of them," Petra said as she ripped open the ground and swallowed up a swarm of Others.

"We must keep fighting. I won't let my tribe down," Cyclops said as he continued to blast away the robots.

"Skot, our people are falling," a woman with bright red skin, long blue hair with matching lips, eyes and nails said in a language only Cyclops understood as she touched a robot, caused its energy to shut off and then rip its head off.

"Jam'se, what are you doing out here. I told you to stay back and protect," Cyclops began to say when a blast from an Other hit him and knocked him backwards.

"Don't worry, the Spirit boy is protecting her," Jam'se said as she helped Cyclops up.

"I still don't understand why the whole tribe isn't helping. If everyone helped he might have a better chance," Petra said as she pushed herself like never before and created about a dozen warriors made of earth to charge and attack the incoming demonic robots.

"That's because not all of them are like her. They all have the ability to control their inner energy to make their physical abilities enhanced but certain ones can do it to a great extend that they can makes themselves stronger and more enhanced than others. Those few are the ones that even have a chance against these creatures.

"The others would perish immediately. Now Jam'se, she is a mutant among her kind. She can control energy to the point that she can take energy around her and combine it with her own and became super enhanced as well as control energy in others, like shutting off the robots energy source," Cyclops explained as energy blasted from his eyes to blow apart another Other.

"And she used her gifts to teach you to control your energy so you no longer need glasses?" Petra asked as he had explained to them about the weird glasses they had saw when they were taken back to their tribe when they had first arrived.

"Actually, she first said there was a weird energy around my brain keeping me from accessing that control and after what you told me about my secret brother and the other friends of yours makes me wonder if Xavier didn't put that block to keep me in his control," Cyclopes said as the more he thought of Xavier the angrier he got about them all having siblings and being kept form them.

"I don't remember this Xavier but the more I hear the more I don't ever want to meat him. He sounds so evil," Petra said as she, Cyclops and Jam'se soon found themselves surrounded.

"So, always getting into trouble," a voice said as the heavens rumbled lightening bolts as no other came down form the sky and blew away the Others surrounding the three.

"About time you joined the party, Ororo," Cyclops said as he saw a woman with white hair flying away from a small craft and unleashing the storms upon the enemy.

"Anytime, didn't think it would be this easy to find you. Hurry, onto the ship and we can get out of here and rejoin the others back on the ship," Storm said as she her lightening storms were enough to cause pause in the Others for the moment.

"We can't, there are other tribe members back at camp and we can't leave them," Cyclops said.

"Scott, as much as I hate to say this but there are too many. This is their world and they," Storm began to protect.

"No, Ororo, we can't leave them. Back at camp is Petra's friend Spirit and my daughter," Cyclops said as Storm saw him glance at the woman with blue hair.

"Then good thing I brought back up," Storm said as she gave the command and Cyclopes to see a series of figure dash from the ship.

"Océana!" Petra screamed as she saw her old friend come out of the ship with Stacy X, Wingblade, Animala and Sabretooth.

"Not now Scott, we all fight together," Storm said as she saw Cyclopes stare at the oddly changed Creed.

"No!" Petra screamed as she and Cyclops both saw the final figure leap out of the ship and cause them to freeze, Krakoa.

"Like I said Scott, a lot has changed since you left the island and now if we are to survive we must fight," Storm said as he shouted commands that snapped Petra back into action and Jam'se to join the new comers in battle against the Others.

_**

* * *

**_

Alpha Flight

**When Weapons Collide – Part Two**

_**Canada – Church of St. Mary**_

"Do you, Walter Benjamin Langkowski take Lillian to be your lawfully wedded wife…in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" Michael Twoyoungmen asked as he took Walter through his vows.

"I do, now and always," Walter answered with a smile, his eyes watering with joy.

"And do you, Lillian Elizabeth Crawley take Walter to be your lawfully wedded husband…in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" Mike asked as he now took Lil through her vows.

"I do, always and forever," Lillian said with matching tears.

"Now, if anyone sees why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace," Mike said as he looked into the church audience.

Lil happened to glance over at Madison Jeffries, then over to his wife and daughter and then looked back at him. Madison looked her in the eyes, smiled and nodded his approval. At that moment, all anger and hatred left her. He had moved on and now so had she. She smiled back with a nod and then looked into her almost any second now husband and gave the biggest heartfelt smile followed by tears. Walter smiled back and took her hand and squeezed it with all his love. They both kept their eyes locked on each other and waited for their friend to seal the deal.

"Then by the authority vested in my by the great spirits, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Walter, my friend, you may now kiss your bride," Mike said as the two sealed their eternal commitment with a passionate kiss.

"This is so beautiful," Carol Danvers said with a smile.

"I guess, if you're into this kind of thing," James "Bucky" Barnes said with a grin.

"Too bad Logan isn't here. I wonder what's keeping him?" Carol asked as she glanced at the end of the church and back.

"Probably got caught up in something and lost track of time," Bucky laughed to himself.

_**Flight Industries**_

_**The Basement Holding Cells**_

"You are nothing compared to me. You're old and outdated," Weapon Superior said as he easily dodged Wolverine and sliced open his chest with his arm blades.

"I don't think so bub. I am the best at what I do and that is getting revenge for those you've killed," Wolverine said as he swiped his claws and sliced off the tip of Weapon Superior's arm blades.

"Oh, how impressive," Madam Zodiac said to herself as she stepped over Double Trouble and busted open Wild Child's cell and stepped in.

Wild Child leapt at her as the Gemini symbol flashed on her forehead and she split in two causing Wild Child to pass in-between her two selves. Madam Zodiac then merged back into one as the symbol on her forehead changed and her hand became two sharp crab claws and shot out and took hold of Wild Child. Both of them stared into each other's eyes as Madam Zodiac called on a different power form deep within her very soul.

"I will have what is mine. Leo came to me and grant me your powers that are rightfully mine," Madam Zodiac said as Kyle screamed and passed out as a large gold ruby ripped from his chest leaving a gaping hole as the ruby absorbed into Madam Zodiac.

"He may not be my favorite but if anyone is going to rip holes out of anyone it'll be me," Wolverine said as she took a swing at Madam Zodiac.

"Not today you don't," Weapon Superior said as the severed tips reattached to his arms and reformed into large cannons and sending off a blast that hit Wolverine in the back and sending him over and away form his initial target.

"Why thank you, lover boy," Madam Zodiac said as she blew him a kiss and headed over to Windshear.

"Now to finish off Wild Child," Weapon Superior said as he stepped up to the very still body of Wild Child.

"Now you're just making me mad," Wolverine said as the sound of his claws popping out caught Weapon Superiors attention.

"Haven't you gotten it yet? I'm the ultimate weapon," Weapon Superior said as with great speed he was behind Wolverine.

Turning his arms to blades he sliced open Wolverine's back and before he knew it he had reached out with two hands and with great strength threw Wolverine back against the wall. Weapon Superior then turned to face his victim as several guns formed and popped out of his back and fitted up and over his shoulder. As Wolverine got to his feet Weapon Superior opened fire. The combination of ammo, acid pellets and fire Wolverine fell to the ground in skin searing and pealing pain. Weapon Superior then turned and saw Madam Zodiac moving away from the body of Windshear.

"Leaving so soon?" Weapon Superior asked as the woman moved up to him.

"Yes, I've got what I came for and soon I will be complete," Madam Zodiac said with a playful tone.

"I'm not finished with you two," Wolverine said as his charred and healing body stepped up while three claws popped out of Weapon Superior's chest raising him up into the air.

"I," Weapon Superior began to say as he felt real pain.

"Guess this is my queue to leave," Madam Zodiac said as she stepped back.

"Who are you lady? I've got no scent coming form you but there's something familiar," Wolverine said as he pointed at her with his free arm and popping out his other three claws.

"Oh, Logan, we will meet again I'm sure but for now I must go. Laters boys, and play nice," Madam Zodiac said as she quickly leapt into the shadows and was gone.

"Guess I'll deal with her after I finish with you," Wolverine said as he brought his claws around and headed for were Weapon Superior's head met his neck.

"Jeeves," Weapon Superior gagged on his blood as he suddenly vanished from sight right before the claw made contact.

Wolverine looked at the room around him and then let off a very primal scream.

_**The Langkowski Reception**_

"This has been great. You truly make a beautiful bride," Mac said as he took his turn dancing with Lil.

"Where did Sean and Jodi run off to?" Lil asked as she looked around the room.

"Not sure. He said he got a call and they had to go and would try and make it back later," Mac said as he thanked her for the dance when the music ended.

"Okay, time for the bouquet toss," Heather cheered as she started calling for all the single women.

"About time you got here," Carol said as she and Bucky walked up to a short hairy man in jeans and a flannel shirt who had just walked into the room.

"Nice suit," Bucky teased.

"Thanks, where's the bar I need a drink," Logan said as he and Sean and decided it was best not to say anything to anyone else right now to ruin the wedding.

Sean and Jodi had gone back to clean things up so Logan could get some fresh air. Windshear would live as would Wild Child. Whatever that woman in black had done to them they had managed to survive thanks to Kyle's healing factor and Colin's mostly air form. As for Double Trouble, he really didn't know or care for her so he had trouble feeling any sense of loss for her. All he felt was pure rage to find Weapon Superior and finish what they'd started, but until then, all he wanted was relax and congratulate his old friend.

"Hey Logan, what kept ya?" Walter asked as he headed towards them.

"Just got a little held up but now I'm ready for anything," Wolverine said as suddenly a white bouquet of flowers hit him in the face and landed in his arms.

"Oh, James!" Heather screamed through a mix of cheers and laughter.

"That's it, I need a beer," Logan said as he retracted his claws allowing the bouquet to fall in two pieces as he headed towards the bar.

**Next: Issue #40 – The Others – Part Three & Alpha Flight: Falling Star, Rising Signs**


	41. The Others Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #40 – The Others – Part Three**

_**Deep Space**_

_**Small Planet**_

"So, you're pregnant?" Cyclops asked as he and Storm began to fill each other in since they had parted ways.

Storm had told Scott all about the Island, Magneto being a strong leader and changed man, and how they met Animala and how she had changed Beast, Creed and Mammomax. She then told him about Te and Va and how they had stolen their ship and supposedly killed Lifeguard. She told him about how they brought down the hive creatures that he, Wolverine and Charles had escaped from and their gaining Wingblade. Then she told him about meeting Gambit and the mini version of Krakoa and learning the real story of what had happened to them that time on the island Charles sent them too.

Storm could see how angry Scott was becoming about all the lies and secrets Charles kept and took from them. Especially about all the original X-Men having siblings that were taken from them. That full story was obtained when Havok and his team had rescued them from the planet. Scott had been glad to hear about those that had all survived and were with his brother. He wasn't thrilled to hear that Mystique was one of the ones on board the ship. Storm was about to tell him about Mystiques condition when he had blurted out and questioned her hooking up with Magneto.

"Of all people, Erik?" Cyclops questioned as he blew away a few more demon cyborgs.

"He has changed, Scott. All of us have been given second chances and so can he," Storm said defending the man.

"Yeah, but how many chances can that man get?" Cyclops asked as they continued to battle.

"Well, what about you? You're hooking up with Emma, the evil White Queen if I recall. You gave her and expected all of us to give her another chance and you claimed she had changed and that you loved her, well until now I guess," Storm snapped while looking over at the red skinned woman.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Cyclops swore and then proceeded to tell Storm about what happened to him once he left the Island while they continued to fight off the Others.

When Scott at jumped through the portal he had arrived on this planet. He had woken up and saw he was alone. He shouted out for Logan and Charles but saw they were no where in sight. His leg was broken and he was pretty weak from the fall out of the portal. As he sat there in pain he saw a large wild animal come charging at him he released a beam at the ground to scare it off. Only pausing a moment after the blast the animal prepared to charge again so he went to release another energy beam but a hard smack had knocked his glasses off his head. He wanted to open his eyes but the fear of the release prevented him. He wondered what had hit him when he heard another commotion.

It seemed a third presence had arrived and was battling the wild animal and what ever had hit him. After a few minutes it went silent and Scott had searched for his glasses. He soon had them handed to him while he heard a woman's voice saying something to him in a language he had never heard before. He had quickly put on his glasses to find him self looking at a very beautiful woman with red skin and long blue hair with matching lips and nails. She had helped him up and carried him back to her village. Scott had been surprised by her strength, but that had been a part of her special gifts.

Scott stayed with her people as they helped him get better and heal. As the months went by he had learned their language and soon learned about their ability to control their energy in their body to enhance their physical abilities. The woman who had helped him, Jam'se was a mutant of their kind with the ability to enhance her abilities even more so than her people as well as control the energy of others. With this she had helped remove the blocks and teach Scott to completely control his powers so he no longer needed glasses. He had grown very close to Jam'se and her people. And after almost a year, he had given up on ever being rescued and settled on the fact he would be a part of this world.

In that year he found himself completely in love with Jam'se and they were soon bonded together. It didn't take long before Jam'se was with child and had given birth. They were just getting ready to celebrate their child's first birthday when the Others attacked.

"Wow, so you have a child with this woman?" Storm asked as more of the Others were blasted away.

"Yes, and I will not leave my wife or my Son," Scott said as they poured on the attack.

_**Above the Planet**_

"There's got to be a way to keep them from going planet side," Havok said as he released his powers that blew apart another ship heading towards the planet.

"There's just too many of the," Avalanche said as he sent a wave across the path of two ships causing them to rip apart.

"The thing of it is, we blow apart the ship and any survivors are able to still attack us," Magneto said as he waited till two Others got close to him and then he called on his powers to rip them in two.

"Are you okay, Grandpa?" Magnus asked as saw the man grunt.

"My powers are not as effective in the deed of space. I have to remain close enough to the planet to siphon off its magnetic field and energy to be of any use without falling into free fall," Magneto said as he was surprised how quickly he had bonded with his grandson and even found he liked being called grandpa.

"No, ten more made it to the surface," Colossus said as landed on a ship and started ripping it with his bare hands.

"I have an idea," Magnus said as he wanted to impress his grandfather.

With his command Havok and Avalanche provided cover while Magnus went to work. Casting a spell he sent an electric charge into the atmosphere of the planet below. He then queued his grandpa who called upon every being of his power and took hold of this charge and the magnetic field of the planet and instantly created a force field around the whole planet. Magnus saw the strain on his grandfather and took hold of his grandpa's hand and cast a spell and fused his powers with that of Magneto's as the two mutants cause a protective shield so powerful that any ship caught in its path or didn't stop in time to not collide with the field exploded into nothing. Magnus saw his granddad smile and knew he had not only helped create a force field that the Others could not get through but he had also impressed his grandpa with his power.

"Great job guys," Havok said as they now had to face all the ships that couldn't get planet side and were all now coming right at them all.

"Guys, I have a report coming in from Storm. They found Cyclops, Spirit and Petra. Thanks to the shield, they are turning the tables planet side," Lifeguard reported into their ear pieces causing Magneto to smile.

"Yeah, but won't do no good if we don't survive to keep them safe," Avalanche said as he was pushing as much as he could against the oncoming fleet.

"Boy, can you create a protective shield around us and our friends while allowing your re-enforcement on the planet shield we created?" Magneto asked.

"Yes, why?" Magnus asked as he saw blood starting to drip from his grandfather's nose.

"When I give the word I want you solidify our shield and then create a shield around us and them and pour everything you have in it so that nothing can penetrate it," Magnus instructed.

"What are you?" Magnus began to ask.

"Can you do it?" Magnus barked.

"Yes," Magnus nodded.

"Do it, now!" Magnus shouted as he called on everything he had left in him.

Not wanting to let his grandpa down he gave it his all. He added a push on the planet shield and then he invoked another spell. Instantly an electric field formed around him and Magneto, Havok, Avalanche, Colossus and the Starship Lifeguard. Once he did that he heard Magneto scream in rage and pain as it was his grandfather took action.

"Now you will know why I am the most feared and powerful mutant on our planet," Magneto said as he unleashed his powers like never before.

Magneto grabbed hold of the electromagnetic shield around the planet and pulled as much of the magnetic field of the planet into it as he could. He then ripped it from the planet and then tossed it with all his might and power across space and into each and every Other ship. Magnus strained as he kept the fields around his friends enforced as his grandfather's field caused every Other ship it touched to explode instantly. Magnus closed his eyes as suddenly a huge explosion of light lit up the darken space. When the light faded, there were no Other ships left in sight except for the handful fleeing off in the distance with Longshot's ship in pursuit.

"You did it, grandpa," Magnus began to cheer as he stopped and gasped.

"I don't know what you guys did up there but we have won the day down here as well. I could feel the pull, was that you Erik dear? Erik?" Storm's voice came over the radio with excitement and then concern as the com stayed silent and then erupted in a loud scream.

"Grandpa!" Magnus screamed as he flew towards the master of magnetism who lay still, floating in space.

_**Epilogue**_

"The time for judgment is at hand, Benjamin Xavier," a giant robot looking creature said as it looked down at the bald man chained to the floor.

"Please, do what you want to me but leave the others alone," Charles Xavier said as he looked up at the twenty beings that surrounded him in a big circle.

Charles was surprised to see them. He had been certain that he and the others had destroyed them after they had altered the Totems and stolen their power. His best friend Erik Eisenhardt had protested, saying that they had all done enough. They had created potentially the futures most powerful new race of homosuperiors. Mutants as they would be called. Then there were those like Shaw and En Sabah Nur who said that they could all become like gods with this kind of power and they shouldn't just throw it away. Charles didn't know what to do. They all agreed that these beings had to be destroyed, but did their power have to go with them?

His other best friend, and secret confidant, Gene Grey suggested they could alter and harness this power into Totems taking it away from the Celestial owners. Each of them would be responsible for their own Totem and if anyone began to become corrupt they would answer to all of them. Xavier saw this as a way not to fully give up such power and to make Grey happy he agreed and the Totems were altered and that was soon the end of these beings, or so he had thought. He knew what they did was wrong, but despite the bad seeds, in the end a lot of good had come out of it. A lot of good and powerful mutants that had been born to save the world over and over again.

"We offered your race a gift and with your greed you stole what was not yours. That power is ours and not meant for you to try and play gods," one of the being said.

"We want our power back and you all must pay," said the being that had posed as Jean and accused him for the destruction of its Totem. ****See Sensation X-Men #27 & 29****

"You are right and we were wrong. We should never have stolen your powers. That is why I destroyed the Totems and mind wiped everyone so this power would no longer be abused and for all those involved, they are all dead but me," Xavier cried.

"I can see into your mind. We may not have our powers but you posse mine so I can tell you lie. You never truly destroyed the Totems. You kept the pieces hidden away until the day you could learn to put them together and use them all for your own devise. Unfortunately, two Totems had been stolen, the Phoenix & the Beast," one of the Celestial beings said looking at Xavier.

"Unfortunately, the Totem of the Phoenix had not only had its powers turned into an actual life form but the Totem was recreated and destroyed (**in X-Calibur #11**) leaving me like this," the only small Celestial said.

"Even if I gave you the Totems back, they are broken and the power gone from them," Xavier said.

"Yes, but we can reconstruct them and use them as you did on us," one of the other beings said.

"Yes, brother, you are right. As I see into this one, our power has been genetically enhanced and passed down the generations. We will just have to tear it from the children as their fore fathers and Benjamin Xavier had done to us," the Celestial connected to Xavier said as he glared down at the Earthling.

"But it will only work if we have the purest of them," another Celestial being added.

"No, that will kill them," Charles pleaded wishing that those today would not be punished for what they did all those hundreds of years ago.

"We must act immediately. Use this thief as an anchor and connection to Earth, the Totems and our powers and bring every being genetically connected here so we may take back what was once ours," the Celestial being commanded as Xavier cried out in protest.

*****To be continued in the upcoming X-Men: GenetiX #1 starting the crossover event that changes everything you thought you knew about Charles Xavier and his X-Men*****

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Alpha Flight Back Up Story Will Return Next Month While We Let Our Alphans Enjoy The Wedding Reception and Honeymoon.

**Next: Issue #41 – The Others – Part Four & Alpha Flight: Falling Star, Rising Signs**


	42. The Others Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #41 – The Others – Part Four**

_**Deep Space**_

"Is he okay?" Storm and many others asked over the com unit.

"Yes, he's still breathing. He needs medical attention," Magnus said as he floated next to his grandfather and held him.

"Alright, everyone come back aboard. I have a trace on Longshot's ship but we need to get moving before we lose track of them. Storm, we need you to gather that planet side and return quickly," Lifeguard and Slipstream said respectively.

"Hey guys, this is Scott. We've almost cleared up down here. I'll have your team back to you in no time," Cyclops said from Storm's com unit.

"What did he mean by, your team?" Lifeguard asked as the port opened and Avalanche, Havok, Colossus carrying Magneto and Magnus boarded her.

"I don't know," Slipstream answered as he monitored the team heading to sick bay.

"We have incoming, Henry," Colossus said as he laid Magneto on a table and looked over to see Mystique chained to a bed while Beat placed a baby in a special baby crib-like holder.

"Wow, how many babies did she have?" Magnus asked looking at all the baby units.

"Eight in all and they are all healthy and doing fine," Beast responded.

"I demand you let me see and hold my babies," Mystique shouted as she tried to break free of her bonds.

"I don't think so. Are the babies safe in there?" Havok asked.

"Yes, Lifeguard created these to not only keep them warm and safe but will provide them with the nutrients they need to survive. They are totally nondependent of Raven here," Beast said as Mystique managed a friendly gesture at her doctor.

"Good, we need you to look at Erik," Havok said.

"I don't see why we didn't leave him out there," Colossus said.

"I would have liked to see you try it," Magnus said as electricity crackled in his eyes.

"No need to fuss over me, I just over exerted myself. I'll be fine," Magneto said trying to sit up and feeling dizzy.

"Hey, ease up old timer," Beast said as he walked over to the leader of the Brotherhood.

"Life signs are fine, he just needs to rest," Lifeguard reported.

"I can rest when I'm dead," Magneto said trying to sit up.

"Grandpa, you heard," Magnus began to say moving near his grandfather.

"I said, I am fine," Erik said shrugging off his grandson. "I want to know what she is up to," Erik said as he glanced at Mystique.

"Yes, get to talking," Havok said as he glared at the woman.

"I don't have to tell you anything. Just let me go and give me my babies," Mystique said as she looked over at the eight basinets.

"I've analyzed and was able to match the DNA," Beast said as he typed a bunch of button on the computer console.

"Who are the fathers?" Colossus asked.

"I have a match for Erik, Scott, Bobby, Forge, Creed, Banshee and what appears to be Destiny. The eighth child has a strange mix of DNA but the red diamond birthmark on the child's forehead makes me wonder if she is connected to Sinister," Beast said as they all turned to Mystique.

"Yes, it is Sinister's child, but I only allowed him to inject one of his experiments in me in return for him to make it possible to carry a child of mine and Irene's," Mystique spat out.

"I don't believe this," Havok said looking at the eight babies, all one mother but eight different fathers or mother if you counted Destiny.

"Why did you do this?" Colossus asked.

"I don't have to explain myself," Mystique said.

"This was an experiment for Apocalypse and Sinister in seeing if they could use you as their own mutant army creator. First this and next creating as many babies as you can with what ever mutant gene or genes you want," Erik said as he glared at Mystique.

"All for the thrill of it?" Colossus asked in disgust.

"No, for the creation of a lost love," Henry said as he glanced at Mystique and the child she shared with the late Destiny.

"If you don't," Mystique began to say when a giant robot like head appeared in the center of the room.

"What is that?" Sway asked jumping back.

"Lifeguard?" Havok asked.

"What ever it is I'm not getting any kind of reading on it. It's like its not really there," Lifeguard responded.

"The Totem of the Phoenix calls its power back," it said as a beam hit Sway causing her to vanish.

"The Totem of Power calls its power back," it said as the baby fathered by Cyclops and Havok vanished.

"The Totem of Adapting calls its power back," it said as Beast vanished.

As everyone tried throwing their power at the head with no effect, the head continued to declare its statements as more mutants vanished from site. Within seconds Magneto, Magnus, Colossus, Mystique and the rest of her babies vanished from sight leaving Avalanche all alone in the room.

"Um, what just happened?" Avalanche asked as he looked around the empty room.

_**Planet Side**_

"What do you mean you're not going?" Storm asked as she spoke with Cyclops as the rest of her team headed back to the shutter with Spirit and Petra.

"My life is here now. I just can't leave my wife and son and I can't expect her to leave her people," Cyclops said as he enjoyed looking down at his son with his own eyes.

"What about the X-Men, your brothers?" Storm asked.

"I," Scott began to say when a large head appeared out of nowhere.

"The Totem of Power calls back its power," it said as a beam hit Cyclops and his son causing them to vanish.

"Scott?" Storm asked as she too was suddenly hit with a beam and vanished along with Sabretooth, Océana, Petra and Spirit.

"Come in away team, we have a situation. A large robot head just wiped out the entire team except for Slipstream and Avalanche," Lifeguard's voice came over the com in a panic.

"Same thing just happened down her with half our team. It might have been the Others. We are returning to the ship now," Stacy X said as she hurried everyone onto the shuttle.

"Wait!" A voice shouted causing Stacy to look back and see Scott's wife hug an older man and run her way.

"I come with you. I will find my family," Jam'se said as she pushed her way onto the shuttle.

_**Aboard the Other Ship**_

"Please report?" Frost asked with her mind as she glanced at Ta, who stayed behind while her brother went with the away team.

"We've managed, with luck, to safely seal ourselves in their prison area. We found Forge, Polaris, Spark, Darwin, and Vulcan. Forge is severely wounded from a gun shot wound, Vulcan is beaten pretty badly, and Alison and Lorna have seen better days. Only one that is unharmed is Darwin," Longshot reported.

"Is there anyway you can get them all out of there?" Frost asked.

"With a little luck. Ve is seeing what needs to be done, Iceman and Juggernaught are holding the doors shut and sealed while Gambit and Angel's blood tend to the injured. We," Longshot began to report when he suddenly went silent.

"What's going on? Longshot do you copy?" Frost asked in a panic as she no longer felt his mind.

"Emma, I don't know what it was but something just appeared and vanished taking Angel, Iceman and Gambit with it," Longshot finally reported back.

"Emma, the Other ships just spotted us and have begun to open fire," Ta said as the warning lights started to read on their craft.

"The Power of the Mind calls its power back," a robot like head said as it appeared, hit Emma with a beam of light and vanished along with her.

"Emma?" Ta asked into the empty room as she and the ship she was on suddenly exploded into a million of pieces from the assault of the Other ships.

**

* * *

**

Alpha Flight

**Falling Star, Rising Signs **

_**Alpha Flight Headquarters**_

"I want to know who this Madam Zodiac is," Vindicator said as she looked at the team sitting in front of her.

After the reception, Wolverine had filled in Mac and Heather on his battle with Weapon Superior and Madam Zodiac. They weren't please with Weapon Superior's attack on them again and getting away. What also disturbed them was this new villain, Madam Zodiac. Now Heather and the complete assembled team of Alpha Flight sat at the table in their secret headquarters.

"Sean said that Windshear has been recontained and Wild Child is healing, slowly but surly. We've also received word from Jared Carbo. Appears his brother is a live and both Adrian and Arlette were attacked and had the same thing happen to them by Madam Zodiac. Both are in critical condition," Mac said.

"From what we've gathered the same thing had happened to Killspree, Wyre, Marrina, Double Trouble and the others but they didn't survive. It seams everyone that was attacked by Madam Zodiac had been a member of Z Flight," Heather said.

"So we are assuming she is after the power source that was injected into them by the Dark Beast and Director X," Mac said.

"So it seems I am the last then," Northstar said as they all looked at him.

"And we have to assume she will be coming after you next at anytime," Captain Canada said.

"Then we do everything we can to protect him. And once we put her down, Weapon Superior is next," Wolverine growled.

"I don't need protecting, I can handle myself," Northstar said as he glanced over at Captain Canada. "Unless you insist on guarding me."

"You wish, he's mine," Mystic whispered in Northstar's ear as she leaned over.

"So what do we do, keep him hauled up in here with all of us surrounding him?" Switchblade asked sarcastically as she felt the idea was almost claustrophobic.

"If we need to," Heather said as they all took a break but were instructed to stay near by.

"What's wrong?" Warbird asked as she came up behind Captain Canada.

"I got a call from Steve," James "Bucky" Barnes said as he turned to face her.

"About the new League of Avengers? I got a call too," Warbird responded.

"You going to go?" James asked.

"I don't know. I've kind of enjoyed being a part of a team that isn't under judging eyes," Warbird said thinking back to her drinking days and hating what a hypocrite Tony had been.

"I hear you and being here has been a chance at a fresh start but I don't know if I can turn down what Steve has just offered me or if I have earned the right to accept it either," James said as he recalled Steve's request about coming back to the states as a Captain but not as one of Canada.

"Yeah, Steve told me he asked you and I honestly think you should do it," Warbird said as she and Bucky left the room to talk more. ****To see more of the League of Avengers check out current back up stories of X-Calibur****

"So what you're saying we are definitely loosing Bucky. What did Tony say about Carol?" Heather asked Mac now that she had to respond to what he had told her earlier about the call that came in from Tony Stark regarding the New Avengers.

"I'm pretty sure James will go. Who turns down an honor like that, especially him? As for Carol, I have a feeling she might stay," Guardian said.

"Man, we haven't really begun and our team is falling apart," Heather sighed as suddenly a figure appeared in the middle of the room.

"Greeting, I won't be long. I'll be leaving once I get what I've come for," Madam Zodiac said as she moved towards Northstar.

"Take her down," Heather commanded.

Shiver stepped up and called on her powers but Madam Zodiac brought forth the Sagittarius sign on her head and shot her with a blast that caused her to fall to the ground paralyzed. As everyone charged her, Guardian and Vindicator both fired off blasts. Madam Zodiac switched to the Libra sign and sent off a blinding flash that caused Vindicator and Guardian's blasts to hit each other causing an explosion that sent everyone flying backwards but Wolverine and Northstar. "Looks like the scales of balance have been tipped."

"You're going down," Wolverine said as he extracted his claws.

"You can't stop me," Madam Zodiac said as she called on an inner power and held out her hand that caused Northstar to freeze and rise into the air with her as she began to extract the power from him.

"Logan, take her now before she kills him," Mac shouted as he began to get to his feet.

"With pleasure," Wolverine said as he leapt at Madam Zodiac with great speed causing her to let go of Northstar.

"Mac, Heather, come in. Something just appeared in here and then vanished with Wild Child," Sean's voice suddenly came over their comm. System as a large robot like head appeared between Wolverine and Madam Zodiac.

"The Totem of the Beast calls back its power," it said as a beam of light hit Wolverine causing him to vanish along with it.

"What was that and what happened to Logan?" Warbird asked as they all froze at what happened next.

"The power of Capricorn is now mine. I now posses the power of all twelve signs. Now you will all bow to the great Madam Zodiac," Madam Zodiac said as in an explosion of power she vanished as Northstar's body fell to the ground with a small bleeding hoel in the middle of his chest.

****To see what happened to those that vanished, check out the X-Men: GenetiX limited series, posted now. *****

**Next: Issue #42 – The Others – Part Five & Alpha Flight: Nightmares – Part One**


	43. The Others Part Five

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #42 – The Others – Part Five**

_**Deep Space**_

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"Lifeguard, let us know when we get within scanner range of Frost's ship," Slipstream said to his sister feeling bad about letting the Others and Frost's team get so far a head of them but they had to wait for Storm's team to arrive back from the planet below and also deal with the current crisis.

"Where they vaporized?" Avalanche asked.

"No, I can read energy trails and with the help of my sister I'm ninety-nine percent sure they were teleported by a very long range teleporting devise," Slipstream answered as he looked at the group sitting in the room.

Just moments ago a strange robot looking head had appeared aboard the ship and on the planet before hitting many of them with beams of light causing them to vanish instantly. Slipstream couldn't believe how many had been taken. The being had taken Havok, Sway, Océana, Magnus, Mystique and all eight of her babies, Magneto, Storm, Sabretooth, Colossus, Beast, Spirit, Petra, Cyclops and his one years old son. What had appeared to be a large force was quickly dwindled to a few. All that was left of the X-Men and Brotherhood was Slipstream, Avalanche, Stacy X, Lifeguard, Wingblade, Mammomax, Krakoa, Cyclops' wife Jam'se and Queen Animala. Slipstream shook his head.

It was quite the team of X-Men. He had a starship, an x-call girl, a giant elephant, a spawn of a mutant ecosystem, three alien women and a former member of the Brotherhood that was still in physical recovery. He didn't know how he was going to do it but there was no one else but him to step up and lead this group. He just hoped they were enough to rescue the rest of the X-Men from the Others and add some stable members to this team.

"We must find my mate and child," Jam'se said with panic and rage in her voice.

"Yes, I've grown quite fond of my former blue furred playmate," Queen Animala said as she thought of Beast.

"Without me to sooth him, whoever took Sabretooth will be in for a fight," Wingblade said as Slipstream could have sworn she felt a strange surge come from his sister.

"Don't worry, we will do the best we can to find them, but first we must focus on fighting off the rest of the Others and save the rest of the X-Men," Slipstream said as his sister suddenly busted in on the conversation from all around them.

"We are in range and I have some bad news. Frost's shuttle craft is gone," Lifeguard said.

"Gone, what do you mean?" Stacy X asked.

"It seems her ship has been blown to a million pieces. I've obtained the black box data from the ship. Everyone made it aboard the Other ship except Ta and Frost who remained behind to pilot the shuttle. They had received confirmation that they had found Forge, Polaris, Spark, Darwin and Vulcan, but it seems that they too had a visit from a strange head that kidnapped Polaris, Darwin, Vulcan, Gambit, Iceman, Angel and Emma. That was the last thing transmitted before the Others blew up the ship with Ta into," Lifeguard reported.

"Then that means Forge, Spark, Juggernaut, Longshot and Ve are still trapped on the Other ship," Slipstream added.

"Here we were so close to finding everyone only to lose them all again," Stacy X sighed with defeat.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get the rest of our team and bust some robotic demon butt in the process," Avalanche said.

"How do we get aboard their ship without the risk of facing the same fate as Ta and her ship?" Stacy X asked.

"With the help of my sister, I will be able to lock on our fellow X-Men, teleport us on board and then bring us back here," Slipstream said.

"I want to go. I need some release," Wingblade said.

"Yes, you will be needed. Also, if you want, we could use you Jam'se. These creatures are fueled with energy and that seems to be your forte," Slipstream said to Scott's red skinned wife.

"I do not know this forte, but I will help," Jam'se said.

"I'm going too," Avalanche said.

"As much as I want to protest with your recovery, but I'm afraid we need your power set," Slipstream said.

"I may not have super powers like all of you but I know how to fight and survive," Queen Animala said as she purred.

"Fine, the rest of you I'm afraid will do more good here than with us," Slipstream said as he knew a giant elephant, a woman who controls emotions with a single touch and a plant creature would not do well against demonic robots.

"I will not be left behind. I can fight, I've gone rounds with Wolverine himself as well as I can help with healing any injured," Stacy X said as her scaly snake skin silenced in the ship's lighting.

"Fine," Slipstream said as he got a little guidance from his sister and then called on his powers to teleport him, Avalanche, Stacy X, Queen Animala, Wingblade and Jam'se onto the others ship.

_**Aboard the Others' Ship**_

"What was that and what did it do to them?" Juggernaut asked as he found he was the only one holding the door shut.

"I don't know but I've lost contact with Frost," Longshot said as he looked at the small group in the room.

"Well, we need to get off this ship and get Forge some medical help. The devise he built can only keep him alive from his gunshot wound for so long," Spark said as she looked at the man, who despite his injury, managed to create a devise with the scarps around them and the pieces of tech on her body that not only removed all implants from her but completely turned her body and mind back to normal.

"Yes, and have I mentioned how good it is to see my Dazzler back?" Longshot asked as he laid his eyes upon the woman he so loved.

"Actually, I may be back to normal but I think I'll keep the name Spark," Allison said as she knew that despite being turned back to normal from the changed done to her by Zekk, that emotionally she felt different and she hated to admit that might also go for her feelings towards Longshot as well.

"Oh, no," Ve said as he fell to one knee in tears.

"Ve?" Longshot asked with concern.

"My sister. She told me Frost was taken like the others were right before our telepathic connection was severed as a result of her death scream from being blown up with our ship," Ve cried.

"Does this mean we're stuck here now?" Juggernaut asked as suddenly the door blew open sending Cain flying backwards as dozens of Others began to pour into the room.

"There's no way we can survive this," Spark said as she took a stand in front of Forge and began to fire of blasts of light.

"With a little luck we can," Longshot said as suddenly the room lit up and five figures appeared in the room with them.

"Take them out, I'll tend to Forge," Stacy X said instantly as she round kicked a robotic demon and leapt to Forge's side.

"What did I tell ya?" Longshot said winking at Spark as he joined the cavalry in battle.

Animala was thrown back against the wall as Wingblade found her body made blades didn't fare as well against metal as it did against flesh, but to Slipstream's surprise, Jam'se was holding her own. She leapt near one robot, ripped it's arm off while throwing it across the room with the other arm then landing in front of two Others, placed her hands on their bodies calling on her powers and shutting them down. "Not sure how long," she said as she moved on to another robot.

"Stay with me Forge," Stacy X said as she placed both hands on his face and chest and willed his body to speed up its healing process.

"We need to push them back," Juggernaut said as even he was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the attacking forces.

"Then allow me," Avalanche said as he got into a good stance and pushed past the pain as he called on his powers.

The entire ship shook as Avalanche cut loose. Others that weren't ripped in two found them selves being thrown backwards and out of the room from the force of the shockwaves. Once all of the robotic demons were sent from the room, Avalanche directed his powers upwards and brought the ceiling above the doorway down barricading the entryway and sealing them out of the room. Avalanche turned and smiled past his pain, "that should take them a while to get through."

"Until they discover an alternate route," Juggernaut mocked as he pointed to the hole in the ceiling above the doorway.

"That doesn't matter, it gives me enough time to get us all off of here," Slipstream said as he began to concentrate and call on his powers.

"Not before I leave them a little parting gift," Forge said as he managed to stand on his own, healed enough to safely remove the devise on his chest and turn it into something else before sticking it to the wall and pressing a few buttons.

"Then get us out of here," Spark said as she was still needed to give Forge a little support as Slipstream unleashed his powers.

"Glad to have you back," Lifeguard said as soon as her brother and the rest of the X-Men teleported back aboard.

"Glad to be back," Slipstream said as the ship shook a little from the shockwaves of the ship they had just been on exploded taking many near by ships with it thanks to Forge's gift.

"Now where?" Slipstream asked.

"Anywhere far from here," Slipstream answered as his sister went into warp speed to carry them far away from the Others as they could get.

**

* * *

**

Alpha Flight

**Nightmares – Part One**

_**Alpha Flight Headquarters**_

"How is he doing?" Mac asked as he stepped up to Heather.

"Sean and Jodi are tending to him. If it wasn't for the combined powers of Mystic and Hightech we would have lost him for sure," Heather answered as they glanced at the monitor where they watched Sean, Jodi, Mystic and Hightech working away at Northstar.

"That's good, he's a fighter, he'll come through," Mac said.

"They're not so sure about Adrian and Arlette. They both had been technically dead when we got to them but it was a miracle Mystic brought them back at the last minute. I just don't know," Heather said as she glanced at the bodies of Murmur and Flex hooked up to machines not too far from Northstar.

"I just wish they had all come clean and not tried to hide from us and maybe none of this would have happened," Mac added.

"What did you find out about Logan? Any leads?" Heather asked as she turned away from the window and faced Mac.

"From what we could scan it was a very powerful teleportation devise. It seems this is an X-Men crisis. Reports from X-Calibur, Salem-X and Xavier's School show numerous mutants, related and or specific power sets were all taken in the same manor," Guardian answered.

"Do they have any idea where they were taken? Should we start a search party to help?" Heather asked as she began to worry about James Howlett, the mutant known as Wolverine.

"I hate to say this but I think its better we leave this up to them. They've rarely ever come to our aid and we have enough to worry about here than to weaken our ranks to go looking for someone who really never was a solution but a problem to this team," Mac said as he tried to keep his jealousy from showing.

"Mac, how can you say that? Logan was always one of us. We found him," Heather began to say in Logan's defense.

"Heather, if you want to give up all we've worked for here, say the word and I'll search for Logan myself," Mac interrupted hoping the woman he loved wouldn't call his bluff.

"I, no you're right," Heather signed as she glanced over and Northstar. "Where do we stand with the team roster?"

"Wolverine is missing and Northstar is in recovery so we are down two right there. Bucky has accepted Steve's offer and has left to join the Avengers earlier today," Mac answered.

"What about Carol?" Heather asked.

"I've got good new and bad news. Carol has agreed to stay but we lost another to Steve," Mac said as he looked nervously at Heather.

"Who?" Heather asked looking up suddenly.

"Deedra," Mac answered.

"What? How is that possible when Sean and Jodi forbid her being a hero while we do everything we can to hide her participation on our team?" Heather asked.

"That's it right there. She hates that not only is she lying to her parents but we are going back on our word to them. She doesn't want them to find out and cause problems but she does not wish to stop using her talents. Knowing her talents when he helped me out when I was getting my Alpha team together, Tony Stark offered a deal to let her come join their Secret Avengers," Mac said.

"You son of….I should have known there was a place or catch where the money funding our operation came from," Heather said getting angry.

"We couldn't solely rely on Sean's company's money. We needed our own invested capital into this team. He set us up in return for me releasing her commitment to me and my team so she could join the Secret Avengers. Deedra actually showed a moment of emotion at this offer. Her parents think she is going to the States to further her education but she will be under Steve's watchful eye. She's doing what she wants and we're no longer lying to our dear friends," Mac explained.

"I can't say I'm happy about this but that's one less secret I don't have to worry about for this team," Heather said as she ran her hand back through her hair.

"You know, I've been thinking about that. With the team being down so many members I think we should do away with this Alpha Prime and restructure everyone into and focus on one strong Alpha Flight," Mac said as he looked over at Heather.

"I was thinking the same thing. We can even fire Madam Q. We don't need her if we are running one honest team and for some reason I just been getting strange vibes from her," Heather said as she saw Mac smile.

_**New York**_

"Help me please!" A woman screamed from the heavens above.

"Where are you?" Northstar asked as he raced all around New York and then finally moving towards the Statue of Liberty in search of this mysterious screaming woman.

"Jean-Paul, please help me. I don't want to die," the voice said as Northstar realized it was coming form the top of the Statue and he pushed with all his might.

"Jeanie-Marie, you are alive, I knew it. I wasn't there for you before but this time I will be fast enough," Northstar said as he ran for his sister who was tied to the top of the crown waiting to be sacrificed.

"Hurry, Jean-Paul, my love. Save me," came a man's voice causing Northstar to stop.

"Steve?" Northstar asked as he saw his boyfriend who he had just broken up with due to his commitment to Alpha Flight.

"Save me," Steve said as a demon wrapped its hands around his throat.

"No, save me," Aurora pleaded as she was about to be sacrificed.

"I," Northstar began to cry as he didn't know who to pick.

As both screamed for his help, Northstar called on every ounce of his powers and knew he could grab his sister and Steve seconds before each would die. Just as he moved he heard a loud snap as he fell to the ground. Northstar screamed out in pain, not for his broken legs, but for the loss of his sister and former lover as he watched both die right before his eyes. There was nothing he could do. With broken legs he couldn't move fast enough to keep his sister from being sacrificed again or from the demon snapping Steve's neck. Northstar continued to scream as he lay there, helpless.

"Oh, Jean-Paul. How hard is it to be the fasted man alive but never quick enough to save the ones you love?" A woman asked coming out from the shadows.

"Who?" Northstar questioned as he tried to turn around.

"I've worked too hard to get to where I am to infiltrate Alpha Flight to extract my revenge for Miss Hudson to discard me. I may not be at my full power but I have no choice but to make my move," a woman with pale white skin, long curly green hair that matched her knee high boots and wore red pants and jacket that matched the horn helmet upon her head as well as her long flowing cape that was red on the outside and a misty white underneath said.

"No, we put a stop to you," Northstar said.

"You stopped me as well as you did the death of your sister?" The green haired woman laughed as she walked up Northstar and sank her fangs into his neck as she ripped out his heart with her bare hands.

"Jean-Paul!" Jodi screamed as she saw Northstar's body thrash about and then go still.

"What's going on?" Mac asked as he and Heather came storming into the room.

"I don't know. One minute he was laying there the next he went into a seizure and now he's slipped into a deep sleep-like coma," Sean answered as they all stared down at the very still body of their teammate and friend.

**Next: Issue #43 – The New X-Men? – Part One & Alpha Flight: Nightmares – Part Two**


	44. The New XMen? Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #43 – The New X-Men? – Part One**

_**Deep Space**_

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"How're you doing?" Slipstream asked as he walked into Forge's sleeping quarters.

"Almost as good as new thanks to your sister. I am amazed at what she has become and can do," Forge said.

"Thanks," Lifeguard's voice came from all around them.

"Yes, but privacy is lacking," Forge said as he glared up at the ceiling.

"Sorry, guys. Kind of can't help it as I am the ship," Lifeguard said.

"Not for long," Forge said as he pressed a button and a pulse went out.

"What is that?" Slipstream asked.

"A devise I created. When turned on it prevents your sister from _seeing _or _hearing_ in a person's room. She can sense life signs in a room and that is it. Of course I have the ability to override if need be. I will place these in each person's quarters and in certain facilities," Forge said as he motioned at a few more devises sitting on a table.

"Not a bad idea. So what now?" Slipstream asked nervously now that a senor X-Man had returned to the ship.

"I've no desire to lead an X-Man team again. I got enough of that when I ran X-Factor and a temp fill in team of misfit X-Men, but it seems that time has come again," Forge said as he pressed a button bringing Lifeguard back online in the room.

"What's the plan?" Slipstream asked as they both heard the huffing of an irritated ship-mutant hybrid.

"I will take responsibility of leadership and I hope the two of you will be my field leaders," Forge said.

"It would be an honor," Slipstream said as he knew this would be as close as he would get to being a leader for now.

"I will get working on costume right away," Lifeguard added with excitement.

"Yes, Slipstream, I will work closely with you and your brother to put this team together. First we need to speak to everyone and offer them membership. Those who accept must swear to follow our leadership. Those who don't want to join will have the option of being placed on a habitable planet or where they want to call home here or they will remain confined to quarters till we return to Earth," Forge said as Slipstream left to assemble the crew and Lifeguard got to work with the outfits.

_**Later – Meeting Room**_

"Okay, Ve has been placed upon the planet below," Stacy X said as she entered the meeting room after taking a shuttle craft down to set Ve free.

"You're not afraid he will sell us out to someone?" Avalanche asked as he took a seat and getting used to his new suit.

"It doesn't matter we will be far enough gone that it won't matter," Lifeguard said as she zipped off into space following a faint trail she, Forge and Slipstream had worked together to find that would hopefully lead them to the comrades who were taken.

Forge looks at the team assembled in front of him. Each of them had agreed to join his X-Men. Even Mammomax who Fore didn't have the heart to say no but wasn't sure how he'd utilize a giant elephant. As he glanced at each of them he marveled at the great job he and especially Lifeguard had done in creating their unified costumes. She had even changed her ship's otter color to jet black with red X's placed randomly around her body to match the team. Each of them wore a standard all black outfits made of a material that was easy to move in and light but yet provided enough armored protection to stop most physical and energy attacks. He was happy. His outfit was all black and he had a red X on his belt. The side of his leg retracted and allowed for him to reach the hidden compartment in his robotic leg to access items he could use with materials also in the pouches on his belt to create weapons or devises he might need. He also tapped his ear piece that was also standard for all of them to allow for easy communication with each other.

He looked at Slipstream who wore the same black leather outfit with a red X on his belt and red goggle-like eye mask. Avalanche wore the same outfit but wore a helmet similar to his old one but was black with a red X on the front of it as well. Stacy X wore her black outfit but of course her midriff showed as well as wearing fingerless gloves. Wingblade wore an outfit that left her arms and hands bare as well as a bare spot on her upper back between her shoulder blades. Mammomax, just to fit in, Lifeguard managed to fit him in a black suit that covered his body and legs. Because of Krakoa's nature she did not wear a black costume. All she wore was a black belt with a red X on it and had also a communicator devise built into that.

Jam'se wore all black out fit except her arms and hands were bare exposing her red skin. Queen Animala refused to wear a costume but after a long debate they had come to a compromise. She still wore only her bikini outfit but her new one was made of the black material like the others and had a red X on her belt line. Spark wore a very skin tight black outfit with a pair of biker looking gloves and a black with red lenses glasses-like eye mask. Cain's out fit looked exactly like his old Juggernaut costume but was all black with a red X on his belt and on top of his helmet so his enemy would see it when he charged. Lastly was Longshot who wore a black leather outfit with a red X on the belt and had several hidden pockets on his body to hide his throwing knives.

"After all this time, I am finally an X-Man, who would have thunk it?" Avalanche said as he appreciated the inner lining Forge added to help protect his body as he still recovered.

"Please, your only doing this to impress Sage," Stacy X whispered as she walked past him.

"So, do we call ourselves X-Men, the New X-Men or another clever name?" Avalanche asked ignoring her.

"Calm down there," Cain said as he rolled his eyes.

"For all intent and purposes we are the X-Men. Our first and most prominent mission is to find those that were abducted," Slipstream said as he looked at everyone.

"What if we don't find them?" Mammomax trumpeted as his sounds suddenly translated for all them to understand.

"Then we make the decision whether to return to Earth and once there determine our role as the X-men at that time," Forge said.

"But we will find them, I know it," Slipstream chimed.

"Yes we will, I have a feeling," Longshot said as he moved closer to Spark.

"So, what do we do now?" Spark asked as she suddenly got up and moved away from Longshot and moved towards Forge and Slipstream.

"We continue forward until we either find them or we run out of our trail," Forge answered with a shrug. He really didn't know what they were going to do. For now, he was doing a pretty good job of winging it.

"How strong is this trail?" Jam'se asked as she worried about her life partner and her child.

"Its very light but enough for us to follow it. Don't worry, we'll find Scott and Je'se," Spark said as she quickly moved over to comfort Scott's wife, which she still found weird to think.

"Forge, I'm picking up a strange distress call," Lifeguard suddenly said.

"Patch it through," Forge said hoping to see if the devise he had created and installed in their ear pieces with Lifeguard and Mammomax would work on translating almost any language, human, animal or alien.

"Please help us. They came from no where. So many dead, please help," the message finally translated.

"Where is it coming from?" Slipstream asked.

"About an hour from here, slightly to our right from what appears to be a very small planet," Lifeguard said as he projected a holographic image of a small bright blue planet.

"What do we do?" Stacy X asked.

"We go help them," Avalanche said jumping up and slamming his fist in his hand in excitement.

"We can't, we have to keep going after Scott," Jam'se said in panic.

"If we're going to call ourselves X-Men we can't ignore those in need," Cain said as Longshot chimed in with agreement.

"But what if we loose the trail?" Wingblade asked.

"I can shoot off a satellite to continue on in the direction of the trail that will continue to follow it. I can then trace and track that part of me with ease when we are done," Lifeguard said.

"As long as something doesn't happen to it before we catch up to it," Spark mumbled under her breath but knew everyone was thinking it.

"What say you o fearless leader?" Stacy X asked.

"We go with Lifeguard's plan and we head off towards this planet and check it out. If we are to late then we continue back. If not, we help how ever we can and then head back to our original course," Forge said as he gave Lifeguard the command to change course.

"I sure hope he knows what he's doing," Spark said as she went over to let Jam'se and the others that were worried that it would all work out.

"I hops so too," Forge said to himself as he headed to the bridge.

**

* * *

**

Alpha Flight

**Nightmares – Part Two**

_**Flight Industries **_

"What's his status?" Heather asked when Jodi and Sean and walked out of the infirmary.

"Still in a coma. I don't know what happened but Mystic is picking up something strange emanating from him," Sean said as they all looked over at Mystic, Nemesis and Earthmover hovering over Northstar's body.

Mac ran his hand through his hair in frustration. It seemed no matter how hard he tried to pull an Alpha team together something always happened to tear them apart. They had eliminated Alpha Prime and fired Madam Q, who surprisingly took it well. His current team consisted of him, Heather, Shiver, Mystic, Warbird and Hightech. Wolverine had vanished with Wildchild, Bucky and Switchblade had headed back to the states to join the Avengers while Northstar laid in a coma. Mac didn't know what to do but it seemed that between the injured and those that have arrived, anyone associated with Alpha Flight was now under one roof, except for a few.

Mac, trying to decide what to do with his team now or who to recruit he did a mental roll call. Besides Sean and Jodi, there was Nemesis, Earthmover and Feedback here at Flight Industries. Maybe it was time that one or more of them joined his team. He then looked past Northstar and saw the others in the infirmary; Ms. Mass, Sinew, Strong Arm and Tech-Noir of Omega Flight in medical cells, Windshear, Murmur and Flex. He thought about asking Radius to join but now wasn't the time while he grieved for his brother and girlfriend. He was trying to think of who else he could recruit.

There was Puck and his daughter Rebound, but currently he didn't know where they were at in their mission to find Rebound's mom. There was Sasquatch and Diamond Lil, but he wasn't sure they would join. He would ask them when they got back form their honeymoon. In the meantime, their kids of Beta Flight were staying here till they got back, but they might be too young to be put on a team like Alpha Flight. Maybe he could convince Madison Jeffries to stay and join. After the wedding, his wife had headed home with their daughter but Madison and his adopted son Jayson had stayed behind. He would have to try his charm but it was a long shot.

There was Shaman, Talisman and Portal but they were off on other teams and he doubted they would come back. There were a few surprises though. Not too long after the episode with Northstar, Kara Killgrave and Snowbird had returned. He hadn't had a chance to talk with them but it seemed Snowbird wanted to come back and Kara had said something about wanting her powers back. If anything he had more than enough here to hopefully refill his team. He just had this feeling it was the end and he wasn't ready to give up yet.

"How's Jean-Paul?" Madison asked as he walked into the room.

"No change," Mac answered.

"That's too bad," Madison said.

"Hey, while you're here," Mac began to say.

"Oh, hold on. I know what you're going to ask and my answer is no. I'm a family man now," Madison said throwing up his arms.

"Can't blame me for trying," Mac signed.

"There's always Kara. Between me and Jayson's powers we managed to get all the nanites out of her and she back to normal with her powers. I bet she'll join you again," Madison said.

"What about Jayson?" Mac smirked.

"Oh, no. I'll tell you the same thing I told Cap, Mindy would have my head if I let our boy run off to play super hero," Madison said as they both laughed.

_**Elsewhere in the Building**_

"I am so exhausted, I could fall asleep standing up," Carol Danvers said out load as she finished her Skype with Bucky, shut off her laptop and plopped on her bed.

"Then have another drink," a voice said causing Carol to sit up.

She looked around the room and saw she was alone except for a large bottle of vodka on the vanity. She got to her feet and walked over to it. She didn't know how it got there but it wasn't there before and she knew she hadn't put it there. She looked around and didn't see anyone and was wondering if she had imagined it but the bottle was sure real and it felt real as she lifted it up into her hands.

"GO a head, take a drink,' the voice said a gain causing her to whip around.

"Tony?" Carol asked as she saw her former team mate and friend sitting on her bed with a glass of something.

"You know you want to. Come on, have a drink with me," Tony said raising his glass and then tossing it back down his throat.

"Tony, I can't, we can't," Carol said as she began to get the shakes as she held the bottle tight.

"What are you afraid of? Getting drunk and doing something that gets you kicked off another team, or even worse, cause the death of one of your teammates?" Tony asked as he was suddenly behind her and guiding the bottle to her lips.

"I can't," Carol cried as she tasted the sweet alcohol on her lips.

"Yes you can," Tony said as he sank his fangs into her neck as she chugged the bottle vodka.

_**Infirmary**_

"Mac?" Heather asked into her com unit when she realized Mac had been gone a while.

"Sorry, Heather. I'm up in Carol's room with Sean and Jodi," Mac's voice came back in a panic.

"Why what is going on?" Heather asked as he looked away from Northstar and the three magic users.

"I don't know. Shiver was walking past her room, heard a noise and found her going into convulsions. Now she's in the same coma-like state as jean-Paul," Mac's voice came back.

"I'll be right there," Heather began to say when something caught her eye, "Logan?"

"Hey darlin'" Logan said as he smiled at her.

"How? Where have you been?" Heather asked as he moved towards him.

"It doesn't matter, I came back for you," Logan said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Heather lied as her heart skipped a beat.

"Don't play games with me. We can run off and be together now," Logan answered.

"I, what about?" Heather began to ask.

"You mean, Mac? Oh, I took care of that," Logan smiled as he held up one of his hands to reveal his extended claws along with Guardian's head stuck to the tip of them dripping blood.

"Mac!" Heather screamed as she backed up and knocked over a table.

"Where you going? I thought you wanted me as much as I want you?" Logan asked as he flung the head to the side and moved towards her.

"Stay back you monster," Heather said as she activated her costume and fired a blast at the attacking Wolverine.

"Now why did you do that?" Logan asked as she saw his burned body fall to the ground.

"I," Vindicator began to say when three loud screams snapped her attention back to reality.

Heather was in her vindicator costume but Logan and Mac's head were gone. She glanced towards the scream and saw Mystic, Earthmover and Nemesis screaming as their bodies began to turn pale and sunken and then in a blinding light they all went flying back across the room. Before Heather could react, Northstar began to go into convulsions as a strange portal began to open above his head. A figure stepped out and moved toward Heather.

"Madam Q?" Heather asked as the recently fired woman stopped in front of her.

"You thought firing me would get rid of me? All this time I hid right underneath you all. With the help of Director X and then feeding off all of you and finally thanks to Northstar and the three mystics I was finally able to cross into the real world and still access and pull over my real powers," Madam Q said with a laugh as she began to shift, skin turning white and hair growing out and turning green.

"Dream Queen?" Vindicator asked in shock as he started to power up her suit.

"Oh, yes dear and the nightmare has just begun," Dream Queen smiled as she unleashed her powers.

"Heather, what's," Mac began to say and he and the other began to open the door to bring in Carol when a power blast of energy cut him off and everything went bright.

_**Epilogue**_

"What's wrong?" Steve Rogers asked as he walked into the command room of the A-Station.

"I don't know. I decided to give Mac a call to see if anyone else changed heir minds and he's not answering. I can't even reach Carol. So I did a scan down to Earth where they're at," Toney said as he looked at the monitor showing the planet Earth down below them.

"And what did you come up with?" Steve asked as he stepped up behind them.

"I'm not getting anything. Not even any life signs. Either no one is there or they're all dead," Tony said as Steve looked in horror of the satellite image of Flight Industries that now looked like a deserted wasteland.

**Next: Issue #44 – The New X-Men? – Part Two**

**Note: This marked the final back up story of Alpha Flight. Are all of Alpha Flight dead? To find out the fate of the Flight, check out the back up story in Avengers Inc. #1 coming out next month as Steve and his Secret Avengers go on their fist assignment to Canada. **


	45. The New XMen? Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #44 – The New X-Men? – Part Two**

_**Strange Blue Planet**_

"It's funny, but your life signs are the only ones I am reading," Lifeguard said over the com. Unit.

"I wish I could be down there with you guys," Slipstream said.

"No, we need our tracking and transport home to Earth safe and sound on the ship. I'm not picking up any readings down here either," Forge said s he looked around.

As Forge and his new band of X-Men were on their way in search of their abducted friends and teammates, they had received a distress call. Deciding that they had to check into it, Lifeguard sent a probe to continue following the trail while they came here to investigate. Not knowing what they were up against, Forge selected an away team for the mission on to the planet. With him he brought, Avalanche, Stacy X, Wingblade, Spark, Juggernaut and Jam'se who he had nicknamed Red and brought her because she was from around these parts and might lend some insight along with her abilities. He left Mammomax behind for obvious reasons and Krakoa and Animala because he just felt they weren't ready to go into the field. As for Longshot, Spark had suggested if something went wrong they needed someone with luck to lead their rescue, but Forge was picking up on different reasons for her wanting her one time love to be left behind.

"Maybe the distress call was old and we are too late?" Stacy X asked as she couldn't see a sign of life anywhere.

"We should have brought Krakoa down here with us. She might have been able to sense things we can't," Wingblade said as she expanded the skin on her back to form wings and leapt into the air to get a view from up high.

"Maybe, but now isn't the time to test her in the field of battle. She is still young by her standards and inexperienced," Forge said as he waved his scanner around and was getting nothing.

"Ahh!" Wingblade screamed as two spears shot threw each of her wings ending her ability to fly.

As she fell from the sky Wingblade called on her powers causing her skin to grow and hardened around her hands turning her hands and arms each into long sharp blades. She then swiped her arms behind her severing the damaged wings from her body. Without a moments pause she had already grown two new sets of wings, did a summersault in the air and landed in a crouch safely on the ground. In the same movement once she touched the ground, she leapt up into the air, severed her new wings and landed upright, blades held out and ready for battle.

"Where did that come from?" Avalanche asked as he looked around and called on his powers to be at the ready.

"I don't know, I'm still not picking up any life signs. Lifeguard?" Forge asked and then realized that their communication link had been severed.

"Well, whoever is out there," Juggernaut began to say when a white beam came out from nowhere and hit the ground under him causing it to disintegrate, but as he began to fall, another beam hit him trapping him in an energy field that held him suspended in mid air within the large crater that had been created under him.

"Cain?" Spark asked as she could tell the powerhouse was now unable to move.

"Okay, this can't be a coincidence. Whoever is out there knew how to stop the unstoppable Juggernaut and I'm guessing they lead us here into this trap," Forge said as suddenly something hit Spark in the back and she was instantly encased in a strange bubble.

"What is that?" Jam'se asked as they saw Allison screaming but they could not hear a thing.

"It's some kind of soundproof bubble. Without sound, Spark has no powers," Forge said now knowing they were up against someone that knew them and intended to take them out.

"Whoever's out there, you better show your self or face the wrath of the X-Man called Avalanche," Avalanche declared into open space as he sent a wave of his power out ahead of him causing the ground and trees in his path to rip asunder.

Avalanche stopped and took a breath gearing up for another display when something hit him in the ball of his back. It was a long rod of some kind, but thanks to his suit it didn't penetrate his body. Just as he was about to reach behind and pull it out, an electrical pulse flared painfully through his body and then stopped as he hit the ground. Not only did he not feel the pain anymore, but he couldn't feel anything anymore.

"Not again, please I don't want to be paralyzed again," Avalanche cried as he lay there, unable to move.

"Okay, X-Men, time to go on the offensive," Forge said as he reached down by his leg to grab a weapon.

As he took a few steps forward, he triggered something under him. Suddenly four metal balls shot up into the air. From each metal ball a rope of some kind shot out and wrapped itself around each of his wrists and ankles. Soon Forge found himself hovering in mid air spread out completely as each metal ball held fast to his limbs. Before he could speak, one of the balls released a sticky substance that hit his mouth and solidified making it impossible for him to speak. He was now completely bound, gagged and suspended in mid air completely helpless.

"Maybe I can help," Jam'se said as she walked towards where Juggernaut was being held.

"I wouldn't move any closer," a voice called out causing Jam'se, Wingblade and Stacy X to stop and turn.

Walking out of a wooded clearing was a figure clad in some kind or robotic looking armor that covered his whole body. Stacy X got the first impression that the guy reminded her of the character Fett from that movie she saw once, Star Wars. The man had his arm pointed at them, some kind of weapon on his wrist, armed and ready to fire. Stacy X saw him glance at Spark and then realized the two knew each other. Then, at that moment Stacy realized who this was, it was a new body and armor but there was no mistaking that this figure was the bounty hunter Zekk, who had once assimilated and turned Dazzler into Spark.

"So, you think you and your X-Men killed me and won the day? Wrong. I followed and bided my time setting this trap and my revenge. Thanks to my time bonded with Spark I know everything there is to now about the X-Men and how to take you out. But, you two are new," Zekk said as he glanced at Wingblade and Red.

"You better surrender now," Stacy X said as she slowly reached for her weapon.

"Oh, what are you going to do, pheromone me to death? Sorry, pheromones don't work on me and you are as worthless as your weapon," Zekk said as he barley flicked his wrist and a blast shot out hitting Stacy X in the chest and dropping her to the ground.

"Stacy!" Juggernaut screamed hating that he couldn't move.

"Now, since I don't know you two, this should prove to be a fun game," Zekk said as he raised his weapon and moved toward the two woman.

_**Aboard the Starship Lifeguard**_

"Forge, find anything?" Slipstream asked.

"No, everything is fine. Nothing to report at this time," Forge's voice came back.

"Well, this was a waste of time," Longshot said hating that he couldn't be down there with them and Allison.

"Maybe if all he can report is the same thing, they should come back," Lifeguard commented.

"Wait a minute, can you ask Forge something?" Mammomax trumpeted.

"What do you want me to ask?" Slipstream asked.

"Anything, I don't care," Mammomax said.

"Ok. Forge, are you there?" Slipstream asked.

"Yes, everything is fine. Nothing to report at this time," Forge responded.

"That's odd," Longshot said sitting up and looking at the giant elephant.

"That's because that's not truly Forge's voice. With my ability, I can tell that it is nothing but a close replica set on recycle," Mammomax said.

"You're right, not that I check closer I can see all this time we've been cut off from them and we didn't know it," Lifeguard said in a panic voice.

"Something's gone wrong down there, we need to go now," Longshot said jumping to his feet.

"I am going too, I refuse to be sidelined. I can be of help. I may translate but as this large elephant I am strong and durable as well," Mammomax trumpeted in demand of not being left out.

"Okay, we all go. Sis, keep a lock on us and be prepared to assist incase we too walk right into a trap," Slipstream said as he called on his powers and wrapped them around him, Mammomax, Krakoa, Queen Animala and Longshot.

"No one here," Longshot said as he looked around.

"This is the exact spot we sent them to," Slipstream added.

"Clearly there was a battle here," Animala said as she saw the ground ripped apart, the large empty crater in the ground and several other signs of battle scars on the Earth.

"Krakoa says that a huge battle did take place here with our friends. She can still feel there energy signatures within the earth," Mammomax said.

"Wait, there something over here," Animala said as he ran over to find a figure lying on the ground.

"What is it?" Slipstream asked.

"It's Stacy X and I believe she's dead," Animala said as she knelt down next to the lifeless body of Miranda Leevald.

"Then what happened to the others?" Longshot asked with tears as he thought of Allison.

**Next: Issue #45 – The New X-Men? – Part Three**

**Note: Starting next issue a new backup story will begin continuing the adventures of X-Calibur from their own recently canceled series. Be here for X-Calibur: The Dark – Part One **


	46. The New XMen? Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #45 – The New X-Men? – Part Three**

_**Strange Blue Planet**_

"Let me go you idiot," Stacy X said as Animala screamed and jumped back causing Stacy X's body to hit the ground.

"Miranda, you're alive?" Longshot asked as he quickly moved to the woman's side and helped her up.

"Between the suit and my skin I was protected from the gun blast, even though I'm sure I'll have a nice bruise. As I hit the ground I cut myself just enough to allow blood to help look like I was seriously wounded. I then started giving off pheromone so everyone who touched me would believe I was dead, this way I could track and follow Zekk," Stacy X said as she stood on her feet but winced from the pain in her chest.

"You mean the bounty hunter that had kidnapped Allison and tried to change her into some kind of cyborg?" Longshot asked as he suddenly grew concerned and angry all at once.

"Yes, and I think I know what direction they went," Stacy X said as she looked off to the west.

"Krakoa said that they are actually to the north," Mammomax trumpeted.

"I know I saw them go this way," Stacy X demanded.

"Actually, the plant creature is right. I can tell the tracks and trail leading to the west are staged and false," Animala said as she felt the ground and sniffed.

"Oh, and you're the authority?" Stacy X said as she stared at the green furred cat-like woman.

"Stacy, not only is Animala very keen on tracking but Krakoa can feel the earth and ecolife and knows they are in the north," Mammomax said.

"To the north it is," Slipstream said as they moved onward.

With the help of Krakoa reaching out to the planet, Animala's good tracking abilities as well as Longshot's luck they had avoided any traps and managed to move unseen or unnoticed by anyone who might be watching and waiting with Slipstream's ability to move them all ahead in short quick teleports based on Animala and Krakoa's Intel of the land ahead. With a little luck, Longshot knew they would find his Allison and the other X-Men.

_**Constructed Building – Middle of Nowhere**_

"I think all six of you will work nicely to restart my team of bounty hunters. With Spark back by my side and you, Forge with your abilities we will have what we need to rebuild my system for assimilation," Zekk said as he stepped up to the woman tied to a stone table.

"Stay away from her," Juggernaut shouted.

"I won't help you," Forge said as he struggled with the chains that had him tied to a stone table as well.

"You won't have a choice. You may have removed all my tech from Spark here, but since we had been bonded once it won't be that hard to re-assimilate her and then the two of us together will easily get you in control enough to finish the job and then build what I need to get the rest of us back and the Hunters Seven," Zekk said with a smile.

For too long now he had been on his own and he was hating this feeling of being an individual and being human. Soon he would convert these six humans and they would become the Hunters Seven. He would no longer be alone but part of a collective with enhanced powers that he would control. Spark would be his again along with the new additions, Forge, Avalanche, Wingblade, Juggernaut and the one they called Red. No one would stand a chance against a group equipped with his mind and skills as well as ones who could turn sound into a weapon, create anything out of anything, rip apart the ground with ease, become unstoppable, and make their own bodies into weapons or source of great energy and power. Zekk grinned as he looked at his new Hunters-to-be.

"Once I get free you better run because I'm going to crush you like a bug," Cain swore as he hovered helplessly in his prison made of energy that kept him floating above the ground.

"Not if I get to him first," Wingblade swore as she found it difficult to break the chains that bound her legs and arms.

"Don't worry, before you can even think about escaping you will happily be one with me," Zekk said as he looked at the others.

Avalanche laid on the table, the rod in the middle of his back not only rendering him paralyzed but enhancing that fear to a level that kept him from being able to use his powers. Spark was still in her soundproof bubble unable to get out as Forge was bound to a table as well. The one he found most puzzling was the woman with red skin. He knew she had some kind of power like the others but scans were showing her energy level was next to none and she just sat there chained to the wall as if she were dead. It didn't matter, soon she would be a part of them and he would know all about her and what secrets she may hold.

"Now, I believe I have enough power to convert Forge here. I was going to start with Spark but I think having you assimilated first we will find a faster way to bring the rest into our collective," Zekk said as we walked over to Forge and started down at him.

"I will never bend to your will," Forge said as he stared up at the bounty hunter standing over him.

"You won't have a choice," Zekk said as a wire shot out of his wrist and planted itself in the middle of Forge's forehead causing him to scream.

"We got to do something," Cain said as he looked to Wingblade who was also trying to break free.

Wingblade had an idea, but she didn't know if it would work. She concentrated all her might and began to grow the skin over her hands to create a blade. This time, she pushed to try and make it long and keep it growing. She couldn't quite see behind her but soon she felt the top graze Red. She pushed and felt the tip press into her red skinned teammate. She was about to try and push more when a blast shot out vaporizing her skin blade causing her to scream out.

"Nice try," Zekk said as the blaster from his other arm smoked from discharging.

Cain swore at the foiled plan. He could see that it had taken a lot out of Wingblade and she would not be able to pull that stunt again, but he did notice something else. When the blast vaporized the blade, the energy from that blast had channeled through the blade and had sent a small spark into Red. What had really caught Cain's eye was that Red jerked a little and saw the energy flare in her for a millisecond and was gone. Cain couldn't believe it. Red was playing possum, conserving her energy making it look as if she was weaker than she was. Cain grinned when he awaited what was coming next.

"Now to initialize assimilation," Zekk said s he went to press a button on a control panel on his arm.

Zekk never maid contact with his arm panel. A large crashing sound caused Zekk to pause his hand and turn towards the sound to see Red standing with full strength and rage free from the wall as the chains were free and hanging down by her side attached with a chunk of wall at the end. Without missing a beat, she moved and with great strength she swung her arms causing her chains to swing out sending the chunks of wall at Zekk. Zekk tried to move in time but one chunk of wall and chain hit him and sent him backwards severing his connection with Forge while the other one slammed down on the table breaking one end and freeing one of Forge's arms.

"Oh, I should have known," Zekk said as he scanned and saw the energy levels flowing through the woman's body.

Zekk fired off a series of blasts at Red. Enhancing her strength, she swung the chains so they each intercepted the blasts causing the chains to snap leaving only the band around her wrists and a small extension of the chain from them. The rest of the chains and chunks of walls went flying away in opposite directions. Red charged, leapt up and over Zekk and landed behind him and landed an enhanced punch to the bounty hunter and sent him to the ground. Red glanced over and saw that Forge had managed to free himself from the table but sat there, still weak from his connection and fast severing of Zekk's assimilation process. Red was just glad to see he was free and okay.

"I am going to love adding you and your abilities to my collective," Zekk said as he pressed a button on his belt causing a strange beeping to go off.

"What?" Red asked as suddenly the floor under her exploded and sent her flying up through the air and landing hard on the ground on the far side.

"Red?" Forge asked in panic as he saw that the woman lay on the ground but was moving. Her energy enhanced body had protected her from the brunt of the blast.

"I am done playing games, time to get this done," Zekk said as he shot two cables form his wrists and hitting both Forge and Red in their foreheads.

"Not on our watch, cyborg," a voice trumpeted loudly within seconds of the far wall exploding inwards.

"Who?" Zekk said as he turned around to see a large elephant stepping through the dust and rubble with a green furred cat-like woman riding atop of it.

"We're the new X-Men and you're going down," Slipstream said as he, Stacy X, Krakoa and Longshot leapt through the wall and into the room after Mammomax and Queen Animala and engaged the bounty hunter.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**The Dark – Part One**

_**Streets of London**_

"Are you sure this is safe?" Sally asked her brother.

"We have to get food and supplies," Mark answered as they moved carefully towards the vacant store.

Since the dome of darkness that had appeared about a month ago it had become hard to see since they were cast in eternal darkness. It wasn't the dark that scared Mark, but what was lurking out in the dark. Neyaphem's dark vampires that came out and hunted down humans to take back as food or to become like them. He has called these creatures of the night his Darkpires. Mark wasn't completely afraid; he had a flashlight with him. The batteries were low but he held on to it as his most deadly of weapons, for any light was these creatures's weakness. It was a death sentence to travel outside but they had no choice. They were out of supplies and it was their turn to go out and gather them.

"I know, but why should we have to do it. I mean it's the others that can't seem to ration very well," Sally said of the small group that they had become a part of that had taken up hiding and trying to survive the darkness.

"Shh, I think I hear something," Mark said suddenly as Sally's eyes went wide as they both stood still and carefully looked all around them.

"What do we have here?" A voice whispers from the dark.

"Ahhh!" Sally screams as a Darkpire lands in front of her in surprise.

"Stay back," Mark said as he pulled his sister close to him and holds the flashlight tight.

The Darkpire laughs as five more land forming a complete circle around the siblings. Mark and Sally stare at the creatures in front of them. They are human in appearance except two distinct features. Their skin is a pale black while the fangs they bare are long, sharp and made of pure darkness to match their eyes. Mark is growing more panicked as he can't seem to get the flashlight to turn on. He could have sworn he had a little juice left in it. He continued to tap it fiercely as the circle of Darkpires start to close in on them.

"Please leave us alone," Sally cried.

"Oh, I can taste them now," one of the Darkpires said as he leapt at the girl.

Just as he approached the girl a beam of light hits him in the face causing him to leap back and shriek out in pain. Mark cheered as he had finally gotten the flashlight to work. He quickly held his sister tight as he waved the beam of light all around them causing the creatures to step back and keep there distance, hissing at them.

"I will kill you slowly," the light burned Darkpire said as he prepared to leap at the couple.

"Too bad I do things quick," a voice said as a flash of purple light could be seen before the Darkpire screamed and then exploded into dark ashes.

The remaining five Darkpires turned to see who had attacked and killed their brother. Standing there was a woman wearing a black jacket and pants with purple boots and gloves that matched her long flowing purple hair. Her entire body was outlined with glowing purple psionic energy as well as long blades made of pure psionic energy extending out form each arm that matched the psionic mini blades sticking out of the tip of her boots. If it wasn't the psionic light surrounding her body that made the Darkpires pause it definitely was the weapons she carried and wasn't shy to use. The woman watched each and every one of them, studying and waiting for them to move.

"Kill her!" One of the Darkpires shouted as they all leapt at the woman.

_Psylocke, I wish you wouldn't push yourself so much going out on patrols. _

_It has to be done, Brian. Until we can put an end to Neyaphem and his darkness we must protect as many humans as we can. _Psylocke said as she leapt into the air, did a summersault and landed swinging out her arms sending two heads flying at the same time as they soon burst into dark ashes along with their former bodies.

_I see how you look and I can feel it. Pushing your powers this way and for so long is taking its toll on you. The strain alone of creating psionic armor around your body will kill you. _

_I will be fine. Someone has to do it. We all can't lay hidden coddling over statues. _

_Hey, Meggan took it hard losing Drake and caring over the cracked and damaged statue of Shamrock is all that is keeping her going with all this despair and darkness around her. _

_Whatever, I'm almost done here. I'll be home soon. _Psylocke said as she severed her connection to her brother.

Ever since they had escaped Braddock Manor and went into hiding, Betsy had started to focus her anger into her powers. She not only could create her psionic weapons but she could create just about any psionic construct, small or large as well as generate psionic armor around herself. They way she had been pushing herself was taxing but the armor slowed her enemy down allowing her weapons to finish the job. Her telepathy had also expanded. She could give and read impressions and send minor thoughts to those near her but because of her connection to her brother, she could talk to him no matter how far apart they were. As she went out Brian was always trying to talk to her as he remained at their hideout. Brian wanted her to slow down but between losing her husband and then her family's home as well as a few friends and teammates, she wanted someone to pay and that someone was Neyaphem and his dark forces.

"Thank you so much," Sally said after Psylocke took out the last of the Darkpires.

"What are you two doing out here?" Psylocke asked.

"We needed food and supplies and came here to get what might be left," Mark said as he pointed to the nearby store that had a broken window from previous looters.

"Then you two get in there and get what you need and we will keep watch, but hurry," Emerald Dragon said as he landed next to them, his wings retracting back into his back and his green scaly skin turning back to flesh.

Psylocke eyed the man in his black and green outfit with his emerald green spiky hair and matching eyebrows. As much as she liked going out alone, he always insisted on following and helping out. She knew he did it on Brian's request but she also knew he was out here too, like her venting his anger. He had fallen in love with her best friend, Yukio who had gone missing a few days ago. He was hell bent on finding her and making those responsible or those who got in his way pay. He too had seemed to let loose more on his powers and not hide them so much. He not only embraced and demonstrated his dragon abilities but he had also learned to cast a magical emerald aura of fiery light around his body that helped against the dark and its creatures.

"I know what you are thinking, and I will not storm the Manor until we have Brian's okay. It was agreed that when we do, we do it when we are all ready and we all go together," Psylocke said wanting to take back her home as much as he did, but right now he was to blind by his desire to find his love to handle a battle that intense.

"I know they have her and she's there," Emerald Dragon said as he saw the two siblings head back to them from the store.

"You two, you and any with you are welcomed to come back with us and be under our protection," Psylocke offered the two.

"We will keep that in mind and relay it back to the others," Mike said as he and his sister quickly headed off with their supplies and two brand new flashlights.

"We can't protect everyone," Emerald Dragon said not needed to be telepathic to know what she was thinking.

"I wish there was some way to bring this darkness down," Psylocke said looking up at the dark dome that covered the land.

"That is what your brother, Lockheed and the others are working on. Once they find a way to do it without killing Amanda and the others then we can take back our country," Baymax said as he approached them carrying the supplies he was instructed to get while out keeping an eye on Psylocke as well for Brian.

"Speaking of, we better get back," Psylocke said as she mentally felt the pain of the Big Hero 6 member that had also lost someone to the Darkpires as well.

_**Neyaphem Fortress – Formally Braddock Manor**_

"With our numbers growing everyday, why is it that plenty of humans are still out there hiding?" Neyaphem shouted at the Darkpires before him.

"It's because of X-Calibur and the rest of the resistance," a Darkpire explained.

"Then why haven't they been brought before me or taken care of?" Neyaphem asked with anger.

"We are trying. Psylocke alone is cutting through out numbers each day," the Darkpire explained.

"Well, your not trying hard enough," Neyaphem said as in a blink of an eye he was upon the Darkpire sinking his teeth into his neck and with his magic drained the darkness and life energy from the creature and back into himself turning the Darkpire into dust.

"It's hard enough keeping our numbers up with you killing off our minions," Ambrosia said as she stepped into the room.

"Oh sister dear, I have already come up with a solution to our Psylocke problem," Stefan said with a smile at his half-sister as he walked past a figure made of petrified darkness that had once been his other half-sister, Amanda.

"Oh, and what might that be?" Lust asked with interest.

"Meet the new leader of my Dark Elite," Neyaphem said as he motioned for a figure to step forward.

Yukio stepped out of the shadows, bowed and then raised two swords and hissed baring two long, sharp fangs made of darkness.

**Next: Issue #46 – The New X-Men? – Part Four & X-Calibur: The Dark – Part Two**


	47. The New XMen? Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #46 – The New X-Men? – Part Four**

_**Strange Blue Planet**_

_**Constructed Building – Middle of Nowhere**_

"I will not be defeated," Zekk declared as he extracted cannon from his back and lay over his shoulder firing a huge energy blast at the charging elephant and its green rider.

Queen Animala leapt off the elephant and somersaulted through the air and landed behind the bounty hunter while the blast hit Mammomax and sent him flying backwards to the ground. Animala could feel his pain but knew his touch hide had protected him some and he would live. Animala whipped around allowing her tail to bridge the gab between her and her prey. Zekk began to laugh when, thanks to Forge, the fur on the tip of her tail pealed back to allow a blade to extract and slice across his face plate causing it to crack. This surprised him enough to allow Animala to leap and use her claws to rip the plate off and expose his face, or what was left of it not enhanced with robotics.

"Wretched animal," Zekk swore as the piece attached to his right eye lit up and discharged a blast that sent Queen Animala flying off of him.

"You okay," Longshot asked catching her in midair.

"Yes, I will heal," Animala said as she saw the spot on her chest where she was blasted beginning to heal.

"Don't worry about me, help them," Mammomax said to Krakoa as he lay on his side knowing at least two of his legs were broken.

Krakoa nodded as the building began to shake. Everyone, including Zekk paused as the living mutant eco-being stretched out its arms and her feet seemed to break through the floor and implant into the earth below. Soon alien looking trees, vines and plants latterly ripped the building apart as nature took over and rid itself of the manmade building. Avalanche felt the outside sun touch him as well as the feeling returning to his body as a vine grabbed the rod and yanked it from his back. At this same moment a plant broke through the ground freeing Spark from her table and then pressed against the bubble. Longshot quickly through a dagger that with luck, hit the exact spot that caused a crack in the bubble where the plant was pushing allowing just enough sound to get in.

"I will not let you take me again," Spark said as all the sound from the commotion the plants destroying the building and bringing them all outside filled her up and she released her powers to shatter the bubble she was in.

"Allow me," Red said as she made her way over and touched her hand on the energy field holding Juggernaut causing it shut down and flow into her own body.

"About time," Cain said as he hit the ground and ran straight at Zekk who fired off every gun he had but was unable to stop the Juggernaut from plowing into him and sending him away from his team.

"Okay, X-Men, time to permanently put this bounty hunter down," Forge said as he freed Wingblade and removed the remaining chains from Red.

"Well good luck with that," Zekk said as a smoking and twitching Juggernaut lay on the ground as he retracted his electrifying cables from Cain's head where the helmet had pealed back and back into his wrists.

"Looks like we need to find our man Cain a new helmet," Longshot commented as they all faced the angry bounty hunter.

"It's over, Zekk," Spark said as she placed her hands together in the shape of a human gun sparkling with power as Stacy X stepped up next to her holding a gun of her own.

"Oh, I'm not defeated. You see, like your plant friend there, I have also connected myself into the ground," Zekk said with a smile as they all saw cables extruding from the hunter's body and implanted into the ground around him.

"Big deal," Stacy X said as she raised her gun and started to pull the trigger.

"Wait!" Mammomax trumpeted weakly, "Krakoa has told me that it is sending some kind of electronic signal through the ground and directly into her."

"That's right, I press this button and it send a signal into your that thing there causing it to explode and trough it's connection to the planet, send a signal deep into the planet's core causing this entire plant to explode with it," Zekk said with a smile as he raised a device in his hand as Stacy X lowered her weapon.

"So you're willing to sacrifice yourself to kill all of us?" Avalanche asked as he was now strong enough to stand on his own but not yet to use his powers.

"No, like last time he will survive. He plans on sending his consciousness into me," Lifeguard's voice cam through their communication system built into their costumes.

"That's right, and no matter how hard she tries I will break through her firewalls. You see, once your plant dies taking you all with it, the shock of your death and her brother's will cause enough emotional weakness that I will get in and from there it will be easier to overtake the ship and use it's abilities to make me a new body and download my mind into it," Zekk added as he moved his thumb over the blue button on the devise in his hand.

"Now," Forge whispered as he nodded at his fellow X-Men that he had secretly contacted through their Com System.

Red knelt down and placed both hands on what made up Krakoa's feet into the ground. Taking control of the energy she forced the electrical signal to drain from Krakoa and force it back trough the earth and back into Zekk's body. Zekk immediately felt the change and went to execute his plan, but with luck, he was too late. Longshot sent a few blades flying at Zekk and luckily hit him deep in the exact spots in his head and body that caused him to scream and involuntarily pull back and sever his connection to both the earth and Lifeguard. Without missing a beat, Wingblade flew down and with all her might used her bladed arms slice the hand and device from Zekk's arm while Spark finally cut loose all her built up anger and desire for revenge into a blast of light that caused the hand and devise to explode into nothing.

"Now it's my turn," Avalanche said stepping up and braced himself as he used what strength he had to summon his powers.

"I am still large part a living being and I thought X-Men don't kill?" Zekk said as he staggered cupping his arm where his hand once was using info he had gained from his time with Spark.

"Um," Avalanche paused as his sudden moral confusion and his body still weak caused the earth to rip open slowly and off to the side allowing Zekk to leap out of harms way and next to Cain's still body.

"It's okay," Stacy X whispered as she helped Avalanche to keep his balance.

"I knew it," Zekk smiled as a strange devise began to open up from his chest.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm not an X-Man," Juggernaut said as he kicked out with all his might shattering Zekk's knee cap causing the bounty hunter to dropped to the ground.

Just before Zekk hit the ground, Juggernaut swung his fist hitting connecting with the bounty hunter's neck with a loud crack. Zekk's body flopped and half way landed over the chasm Avalanche had created in the ground. Cain made it to his feet and then shoved the body over the edge and then threw what was left of his helmet in after the bounty hunter. He turned as saw everyone staring at him. Cain limped towards them and then faced Krakoa. "Seal her up," Cain said as Mammomax translated and the earth and plant life suddenly sealed the crack in the ground and Zekk away leaving nothing but a path of plant life and growing trees.

_**Epilogue**_

"I wish Cain wasn't being so hard on himself," Lifeguard's voice said two the two mutants sitting in her cockpit.

"I don't like it," Forge said.

"Hey, whether he thinks he is an X-Men or not he is a part of this team and we don't kill human beings, no matter how evil," Slipstream said.

"No, I mean I don't like that I am not angry or disgusted with Cain. Sometimes we have no choice but to kill for the greater good. Times have changed, I'm afraid," Forge said as he looked out in space seeing truly how far life has taken him and all mutants since the first days of the X-Men.

"Oh, I almost forgot our leader who has worked for the government with criminals before in X-Factor walks a fine line. You're no different than Wolverine really," Slipstream said with disgust.

"You listen here," Forge began to say when the Com System chimed.

"Forge, with a little luck we managed to set Mammomax's legs and placed them in casts. He and everyone else will recover nicely," Longshot said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Thanks, we'll wait till morning to decide where we go from here," Forge said as he ended the Com link.

"I feel so bad for him," Lifeguard said.

"Why is that?" Slipstream asked.

"He was so excited to see Allison and all she could do is tell him she needs her space," Lifeguard answered.

"You really shouldn't be listening in on people's private conversations," Forge said though he really didn't care about the love spat between his two crew members.

"Well, wait, some great force of energy is coming right at me," Lifeguard suddenly said as a blinding flash of light engulfed the ship causing it to shake violently.

"What happened? Lifeguard, are you okay?" Slipstream asked as the light faded and he managed to get back on his feet.

"Well, I think we don't have to worry about trying to find the missing X-Men and Brotherhood members," Lifeguard suddenly said.

"Why is, oh my," Forge said going speechless as Lifeguard pulled up an image of her large holding bay area that was now filled with a massive group which included the mutants they were looking for plus a whole lot more.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**The Dark – Part Two**

_**Secret Underground Hideout**_

"How's Meggan?" Psylocke asked as he entered the room.

"She's still watching over Molly," Brian answered.

"I don't know why she is obsessing over that thing," Fredzilla said as he sat at the table.

"That thing is our friend, and she claims that the crack is getting bigger and she senses life stirring inside," Brian said not sounding too convinced of his own words.

"We need to strike and strike now. I grow tired of all this," Ferro2 said as he itched for a fight.

"You know we can't attack until we have a means of taking down the dark shield without killing Amanda," Pete Wisdom said as he sat at the table looking at those around him.

Brian looked at the man and knew his true concern was not saving Amanda to save a life but because he saw her as the only magical means to find his missing son and the two women he cared about most, Kitty Pryde and Rachel Grey. When the darkness descended MI-13 was one of the first places to be taken fast. Pete made it out and survived thus far thanks to the remaining members of the Invaders, Union Jack, Spitfire and Blazing Skull. The four of them had eventually met up with Brian and his resistance and they've done all they could to protect their homeland and its people while trying to figure out how to bring down Neyaphem and his Darkpires. The later made it tough for them.

They had learned that these Darkpires weren't like true vampires. They were beings infused with a darkness that made them vampire-like. They did not hunger for blood, they on bit people to inject the darkness into their victim and make them a Darkpire as well. They did have one weakness, light. Where sunlight and ultraviolet light was the only deadly light to a vampire, to a Darkpire any form of light hurt them. Any form of light hurt or burned them where as anything super bright or the sun itself would and could kill them. Unlike the vampire, there was a way to turn a Darkpire back, but they hadn't figure out a way to drive the dark out without killing them. This made it hard to battle, especially those they knew or regular citizens who they've lost a few due to the light, but had no choice to survive.

Brian thought about those they've lost to the side of the Darkpires: China Doll, Thug, Hiro Takachiho, Honey Lemon, Grizzly and possibly Yukio. They had also lost a few as they had perished in the battle against the dark: Bodybag, Scatterbrain and Wasabi-no-Ginger. Now assembled in the room was all that was left to take out Kurt and Amanda's half brother. Assembled with Captain Britain was Pete Wisdom, the three members of the Invaders, his sister Psylocke, his wife Meggan who was in the other room with Lockheed and Shamrock the statue, Baymax, Emerald Dragon, Gatecrasher, Ferro2, Ringtoss, GoGo Tomago, Fredzilla and a mysterious woman named Mys-Tech who wears an all black outfit that appears to be infused with silver magical technology that they stumbled upon. The only thing exposed on her body was her long flaming red hair.

"I think maybe it's time to kill you all," a voice said as they all turned to see Grizzly step into the room with Scribe, Ms Steed and dozens of Darkpires after the power suddenly went out.

"Oh, I don't think so," Psylocke said as she activated her psionic armor and swords which helped illuminate the room.

"Looks like you got a new lease on life," Captain Britain said as Scribe landed a strong punch.

"Yes, we have been remade," Ms Steed said as a blade of darkness extracted from each hand.

"Grizzly, you can fight this," Emerald Dragon said as he became scaly and called up his fiery aura.

"I can't hold her too well," Ringtoss said as he put energy rings around Scribe who became dark and phased right through them, baring the pain from the lighted rings.

"Then allow me," Burning Skull said as he ran right into the dark phased Scribe and let loose his flame causing Scribe to burst into dark ash.

"No!' Ms Steed shouted right before opened his mouth and unleashed a green blast of fire from his mouth engulfing her and turning her to dark ash.

"We have to find a better way to take them down," Captain Britain said as he saw his sister and the others turning the Darkpires into ash.

"There is no other way," Mys-Tech said as magical blasts of light shot from the silver bands on her black arm that were driving Darkpires back before she stepped in front of Grizzly.

"No, you can't kill him," Emerald Dragon and Captain Britain said in unison as they saw magical energy crackling around her armored body pieces.

"I can tolerate the light long enough to get you," Grizzly said as he became a large bear with large shard dark fangs.

"Sorry, there is no other way," Mys-Tech said as she was about to unleash her power upon the bear.

"Yes, there is," a voice said as a beam of pure green energy that caused Grizzly and all the remaining Darkpires to scream.

"What?" Captain Britain asked as he saw the Darkpires turn back to human instead of ash as well as Grizzly reverting back to normal.

"I told you Molly was coming back," Meggan cheered as she stepped into the room next to a green glowing woman with green skin and long blond hair.

_Yes, with her new form and powers mixed with the devise we've finished I think we can bring down the dark and save Amanda and the rest of our country_, Lockheed flew in holding a devise in his hand.

"Then suit up, X-Calibur, we're taking back our home," Psylocke said with an evil grin.

**Next: Issue #47 – Mutantpaloza & X-Calibur: The Dark – Part Three**


	48. Mutantpaloza

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #47 – Mutantpaloza**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"It is done, not only is there force field around each one of them keeping them from going anywhere but with your help and Longshot's luck they fields are keeping them from using their powers," Lifeguard reported as Forge and his band of X-Men all sat in the control room looking at the screen of all the figures that had just appeared aboard the ship.

"You have to let me go down there. That is my mate and child," Red said as she saw Cyclops and Je'se but was confused by the new born baby girl Scott was also holding in his arms.

"We have to wait and not rush," Forge said as Slipstream finally came running over to him.

"Scans are confirmed, and here is the full list of who we have down there along with several beings we've never seen before. For the most part, they appear to be the real thing and all missing X-Men and Brotherhood members are there," Slipstream reported.

"Seems like the people are all connected by family or power set," Lifeguard said as Forge continued to look over the data.

"If that is really Apocalypse down there I saw we jet him out into space," Juggernaut said.

"According to the scans, he is depowered, not sure it would be right to kill him in cold blood like that," Slipstream said.

"I can't believe my Sage is down there," Avalanche kept mumbling to himself.

"All eight of Mystique's babies are accounted for and I have just moved them into a special nursery were they are all being cared for," Lifeguard said as many of the figure below had been angry at the sudden taking of the babies.

"That's good. Have the following transported into the conference room," Forge said as depressed several names on the monitor screen and then headed out the door.

_**Conference Room**_

"Well, looks like we are about to see who our captures are," Cyclops said as he eyed the rest of the people that had suddenly been transported into the large room.

"Yes, but it seems a dampening field is still up keeping us without our powers," Emma Frost added not being able to make eye contact with the man she had loved, lost and then found to be married with a child.

"I am very curious, this ship seems so familiar for some reason," Sage said as she glanced at the other three in the room.

"Well, whomever it is better know better than to mess with me," Storm said trying to get over the feeling of being trapped.

"Calm down, you don't want to do anything rash in your condition," Charles Xavier said.

"And what condition is that?" Forge asked walking into the room and staring at the group.

"Why, my old friend, we're pregnant," Magneto said as she moved up behind Storm.

"Erik," Charles began to say.

"Charles, right now you have no place to talk. It's all any of us can do to not rip you a part," Scott said causing Forge to stare in shock.

"Forge, glad to see we are met by a friendly face, but it seems a lot has happened," Storm said with a smile that made Forge know what Magneto had said was true.

"How?" Forge began to ask when a woman screamed.

"Scott!" Jam'se shouted as she ran into the room and hugged her husband.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Emma growled.

"Where is Je'se? Who was that girl you were holding?" Jam'se asked.

"It seems we all have a lot of questions," Sage said and then paused as Scott that the children were all being taken care of and watched over by Lifeguard.

"Hey sweetie," Avalanche waved as the rest of Forge's crew came walking into the room.

"Forge, this might be easier if you drop the dampening and let me do a mass link with everyone in this ship and bring everyone up to date with what's happened to all of our groups," Emma said as she stepped farther away from Scott and Jam'se.

"Actually, Charles, if," Forge began to say.

"He is of no help to anyone, any more. And even if he still had his powers, I don't think you want him touching anyone's minds, he's done enough of that it seems," Magneto interrupted leaving Charles to not say a word in defense.

"Okay, Lifeguard," Forge said as suddenly Emma was in everyone's minds and then instantly brought everyone up to speed.

"I," was all Forge could mutter as he looked at Charles in disgust and then a hint of jealousy at Storm and Magneto.

"That explains it. Jean was plucked out of our reality and swapped with another before she was killed and you knew. That was the big secret you were always hiding. So the whole time you were with me you were secretly trying to find her?" Emma shouted as she suddenly went razor sharp.

"Emma," was all Scott could say before Forge drew a gun and pointed it at Charles causing everyone to go into shock.

"Forge," Charles pleaded as he stared at the man before him.

"If anyone should kill him it should be me. He tried to cover the so called death of my brother on top of everything else he and his GenetiX caused. But, in the end you know it would not solve anything," Cyclops said.

"Yes, and as much as you have done, my old friend, I think we all have much more things to worry about," Erik said s he looked at his wife and unborn child and thought about the discovery of his child with Amelia and the discovery his first born was still alive.

"There is just so much to process with the revelations that have been discovered," Sage said as he looked at Emma and her grandfather, Charles.

"You know, I don't mind that you have a child," Avalanche mentioned as he smiled at Sage who rolled her eyes.

"There is also the decision we need to make with what to do with certain individuals on board and how to get home," Storm said as she thought of Apocalypse and Romulus and suddenly found herself placing Charles in with that group.

"Yes, and the babies as well," Forge mumble das he thought of Raven, his child with her and how to handle that whole situation.

"According to scans, Charles, Apocalypse, Romulus, Modifier, Norton McCoy and Strong Guy are permanently depowered. As for Maddox, it seems one of his dupes was used so he still has his powers," Lifeguard said.

"Apocalypse, Romulus, Modifier, Shaw, Magnetrix and several of the others have been placed in holding cells," Slipstream said.

"Once we get home we will have to figure out where to hold them," Cyclops said.

"Not all of them. My Brotherhood have proven themselves free to walk away," Magneto said.

"We can't just," Cyclops began to say when Storm stepped up.

"Scott, as you have seen, a lot as changed and who you think is the enemy and friend has changed with many," Storm said as she smiled at Erik and glared at the professor.

"We have the means to get home now. Evaluating my skills, Slipstreams and a few members on this ship combined with your skills, Forge we can open a portal home," Lifeguard said interrupting and wanting to change the mood.

"I think what we need to do, while we work on this in the next twenty four hours, is to talk with everyone and decide what everyone wants to do," Forge said as he walked out of the room.

_**The Next Day**_

"So, lover, am I going to be kept in here forever?" Mystique asked.

"I don't know what bothers me more, that you shot me or that you haven't asked once about your babies, our child," Forge said as he stared at the woman in her cell.

"I know you don't think me a good mother," Mystique began to say as she looked into Forge's eyes.

"Let's see, you've such a great track record so far," Forge said with a hint teasing in his voice. Forge didn't know why but he truly loved this woman, and it wasn't because of seeing Storm with Magneto either, he was sure of it.

"Forge, we have a problem," Beast said walking in with Animala following close behind her man.

"Hank, I was sure you would be with all the others catching up," Forge said looking at the hairless Beast.

"Kind of did that with the massive Emma Psi-Upload. We have a bit of a situation that I thought I should tell you," Beast said.

"What is that?" Forge asked moving Hank a little ways away from Mystique.

"It's the babies," Hank said nervously.

"What about them?" Forge asked.

"Well, when I went to check on them this morning they seemed to have changed," Hank said.

"What do you mean?" Forge asked growing impatient.

"They've shown no signs of mutations or powers and still look normal despite having the X-Gene in them, but they seem to have aged," Beast finally spat out.

"Aged? How much? What do you know of this?" Forge asked as he turned on the blue skinned mutant.

"They appear to be almost two years old," Hank said as Forge was already upon Mystique's cell.

"I wasn't sure if it would work let alone the whole multiple babies by different fathers thing," Raven said more to herself than to Forge.

"You better spill it woman," Forge demanded.

"Sinister and Apocalypse had injected something into me so that it would alter the baby's growth rate. Once born, they would rapidly to their teens where the mutant gene would manifest with their powers. Then they would train them and brain wash them before injecting them with another dose that would accelerate their ages to their twenties where they would become their mutant Warlord Soldiers," Mystique answered.

"And then repeat the cycle all over again," Forge and Hank said in unison and shock their head in horror at what this woman had agreed to be a part of.

_**Astral Plane**_

"Where am I," Sway asked as she looked at the weird space looking environment she was in and then gasped at how weird she looked and felt.

"You, my dear sister, are in the Astral Plane. A place where our mind and spirit can travel outside the real world," Jena Grey said as she came into view.

"How is this possible when all of us are still being kept depowered, which mind you I think is ridiculous," Rachel said will tears visible on her cheeks.

"They are just being cautious and this is being made possible by a very dear friend. My daughter, I am so sorry about your loss, I know what it's like to loose a child," Jean said as she took her daughter into her arms and looking right at a silver skinned man.

"Rachel," was all Cable said as he wrapped his arms around his mom and big sister.

"This is way too weird," Tosha Dayspring said as she looked at the group and the space they were all floating-walking in.

"Tosha, meet your grandmother, great-aunt and your aunt," Cable said as Jean stepped toward Tosha.

"She looks not much older than me," Tosha said trying to keep her distance.

"It appears time travel and alternate timelines can do that to a family. Nathan, oh Nathan," Jean said looking at the metal man.

"It can't be helped, but I can manage using what's left of my gifts. My question is you and how are you doing, being back from the dead and Scott and all," Cable said as he looked at his mom's face, one he thought he would never see again.

"I died, I can't blame Scott for moving on. As much as we still love each other, we both are on new paths so I will be keeping my maiden name. As for my powers, it seems, the Phoenix Force in its massive form is gone. A little resides in each of us Grey line but will never be one great force. I have limited telepathy but nothing like I used to have. Sway, just enough to help her secondary gift and Rachel and my niece and nephew have enough to give their powers a bit of a boost," Jean said.

"So how are you doing this?" Rachel asked waving around.

"That would be me. Sorry I'm late but it was a little tricky getting these two here," Lilandro said as he and two younger kids came walking towards them.

"Aunt Jean!" Joey and Gailyn screamed.

"Lilandro used his great gifts to help boost mine and get us all here," Jean said with tears as she commended the kids on their status as mutants with powers whole feeling the sadness of knowing everyone here was all they now had for family.

"I don't understand," Cable looked puzzled.

"My gifts are very strong so it was easy to make Lifeguard think she has the dampers on mine, Jeans and the rest of your cells. Then linking with Jean we pulled all of us here. Not even Emma will detect what we are doing. She may be family now but I don't care for her much," Lilandro said with many agreements.

"How is it you two know each other when Lilandro was kept secret from everyone by Charles?" Cable asked.

"We are old friends. Charles never knew that the whole time he kept Lilandro hidden, that we were secretly what you would call, Psi-Pals," Jean said with a smile.

"Yes, from the first day our minds accidentally touched we kept in contact and became fast and best friends. I was the one that knew the real Jean hadn't died and tipped Scott off in hopes of finding her. I didn't count on him falling for that White Witch, but I couldn't intervene. Anyway, when Jean asked if I would help set this up I could hardly say no," Lilandro said with a smile at his old friend.

"What ever happens next or where we all end up going after this, I just wanted this one good, undisturbed family reunion," said as they all gathered around, even Tosha eventually moved close enough to be a part of this new family of hers.

_**Mystical Plane**_

"You will never cease to amaze me," Erik said as he stared as his daughter.

"I didn't become a powerful witch for nothing if I couldn't protect myself," Wanda said to her father.

"So why is it you're the only one with powers?" Polaris asked with spite.

"I couldn't risk it. For whatever reason, they feel we need to be contained till all this madness is sorted out. I used my magic and Magneto's freedom to latch onto his powers and use my magic make a link between us family and pull us into this magical plane to talk," Wanda said as she glanced at the group.

There was her father, Magneto. Her siblings, Quicksilver, Polaris and her newly discovered brother Skywalker and her once thought dead older sister, Magnetrix. Wanda sighed, as she knew she had two more siblings, a baby too young to bring here and one on the way. There was also her half-brother, Charles from another reality but she didn't bring him since to her, he didn't count. Then she looked at her niece, Luna, who was almost a teenager and then at her own three kids. Wade, her son by Electro who Agatha had hidden from them till he arrived back from a demon reality all grown and her twins by Vision that she had thought had died but magically their souls entered new bodies and lived to become the teenagers before her, Speed and Wiccan.

"You're lucky I don't have my powers or I'd take the opportunity to kill you all," Magnetrix declared.

"Why is she even here?" Polaris asked.

"Enough, I wanted all my children here. Anya, I am so sorry. I didn't know, if I had I would never have left you," Erik said with sadness in his heart.

"You can be sorry all you want. You abandoned me and left me to survive on my own. Well, I am more powerful than you and I don't need any of you," Anya declared as she removed her helmet to reveal her burn scared face causing everyone to wince but her father.

"What ever you think, I will not allow you to hurt any of my family, even my father no matter how much he deserves it," Wanda said as she advanced towards her older sister.

"Wanda, you can't blame her," Pietro said grabbing his sister's hand.

"You can't be serious? Or are you still brainwashed by her when she made you join her Brotherhood?" Wanda asked still shocked when they had all been link-updated by Emma and she had seen what had happened to her brother.

"Aunt Wanda, please. Everyone deserves a second chance and forgiveness," Luna said as she looked right at her own father.

"My, how you've grown," Wanda said as her brother scooped up his daughter and melted into their happiness.

"I still can't get over that the Scarlet Witch is our mom," Wiccan said to his newly discovered twin, Speed.

"I can't believe that I went from being an only child to such a huge well known family," Skywalker said stepping up to the two boys closer to his age who technically would be his uncles.

"So, Storm?" Wanda asked as she stepped close to her father and older sister, who had moved a bit farther away from the rest of them and just glared with hatred.

"I am a new person. I truly love Ororo and she makes me want to be a better person. I don't want power and control like I once desired. After being with Storm and everything we've been through and discovered, I have found all I want is my happiness and my family," Erik said as he motioned to everyone and looked right at Anya who semi-looked away.

"As much as I love this and glad I succeeded in finding and getting to know my family, I don't think settling down and leaving the battle ground is for me yet," Wade mumbled to himself as he finally made eye contact with his mother and felt a connection he had been missing all his life. He sighed and figured it had to be the magical influence of this place.

"You know you are always welcomed in my home," Wanda whispered as she then looked around one last time at her family, good and bad, before things changed.

_**Holding Cell B**_

"About time," Elizabeth Guthrie said as a door gave way and Scott and Jam'se holding their one year old son Je'se.

"Sorry, there was a lot to catch up on and discuss," Scott replied as he stepped into the cell that contained his family and extended family via the Power Totem.

"What, the mass upload from your girlfriend wasn't quick enough? Gambit asked as he got glares. "Sorry, ex."

"It's necessary with so many mutants to keep everyone contained, separated and powerless till they confirmed our identity and decide what to do next," Scott said as he frowned at the mutant who, genetically and not by choice, was his son thanks to Mr. Sinister.

"Well Charles should be placed with the villains. I tell you, if I see him I can't promise I won't kill him for what he has done to me and my family," Corsair said with anger.

"Well I'm glad to finally have a sister," Alex said as he put his arm around Roberta.

"Even if I'm a clone?" Roberta asked still unsure of everything.

"You are as real as any of us and you are family," Corsair said beaming at his newly found daughter.

"That goes for all of us?" Adam Neruamani asked.

"Yes, no matter how it happened or what Xavier did to hide it, the six of you are all my children no questions asked, and that includes you and Sam," Corsair said as he looked at the Summer Boys and Girl.

"So what, your no longer our brother?" Paige asked as the Guthrie siblings all stared at the Summer clan from across the cell.

"Yes, I'm still your brother. My head still hurts trying to decipher two sets of lives and memories, but I am just as much your brother as I am theirs. Biologically I am their kin while genetically I am yours," Sam said feeling torn between two families now, the one he has always known and the one he just discovered that he never knew he had lost.

"Let me see my grandson," Corsair said as he reached for the child and Jam'se gave him up with a comforting nod from her mate.

"So what are we to do about Xavier once we do get home?" Gambit asked.

"For one, he will not be too welcomed back at the school," Scott said finally breaking his silence.

"So you plan on taking back over?" Sam asked not sure if he was relieved or saddened at the thought.

"That hasn't been decided yet," Cyclopes said as they all knew the very awkward situation with his lover and co-headmaster Emma Frost and now Jena Grey back in the mix.

"I miss mommy and the school," Cleo said with a few tears.

"So do we and I have a feeling after this mom may not let us go back to the school," Elizabeth said with mixed feelings from her siblings.

"One of the reasons I came in here is to tell you that they have a portal up and running and it's time to head home," Cyclops said as he walked over and put his arm around his wife.

**Note: Due to the length of the feature story, X-Calibur will return next month. **

**Next: Issue #48 – Different Paths – Part One & X-Calibur: The Dark – Part Three**


	49. Different Paths Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #48 – Different Paths – Part One**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

_**Medical Bay 2**_

"Glad you all agreed to come, and know, the dampeners are on in here and Lifeguard has stunners ready for any who decide to get physical. I just felt each of you deserved to be here for this," Forge said as he looked at the group in the room.

"Yes, just give me an excuse to shoot you," Lifeguard said referring to a couple directly.

"What is this about?" Creed growled, even though the recent events had shifted him back to his more human form he was still more beastly than he had once been.

"This concerns the children, the ones each of you had been tricked into creating by Mystique. Mystique is here because she is the mother, as debatable as that may be, she needs to be here like the rest of you, each to represent your child. We have my daughter, Magneto, your son, Cyclopes, your daughter, Iceman, your son, Creed, your daughter and Banshee, your son and glad to see coming back to life gave you your legs back if I may add," Forge began.

"Thanks," Banshee said as he was still as shocked as the others to find out he had a child.

"Now, Rouge, I have you in here since the late Destiny was your real mother and Raven being your "father" this makes this child your real brother so that makes you the designated guardian," Forge said.

"Yeah, it's cool. I'm used to my half siblings but guess it's weird to actually have a true full blooded sibling," Rouge said thinking of Nightcrawler, Blindfold and the rest of these babies being technically all half-siblings. She never thought growing up being alone and only child would suddenly have so many siblings.

"I can see why they are all here but why am I here?" Mona MacTaggert asked.

"Well, since the other ten year old Beast is checking out in the next room is your sister turned daughter I figured you'd want to be here," Forge said to the woman who had once watched over a group of secret mutants upon the request of Charles Xavier many moons ago.

"So the tests are?" Mona began to ask.

"Yes, it seems that before your sister died of the Legacy Virus, she used her powers one last time and reinserted herself into a new life, which by some reason resulted in your womb. But being in the place you were hiding in, it somehow caused the growing to almost freeze. Then when she was brought back to life by Wanda's spell, it advanced her to age ten," Lifeguard started rambling.

"What she is saying is, yes, that girl in there is by all tests and purposes, Moira MacTaggert reincarnated," Forge said.

"Wait a minute, you said other ten year old. What other ten years olds are on this ship?" Cyclopes asked suddenly.

"Um, that's why I called you all here. Seems your babies aren't babies anymore," Forge said as he quickly informed them about what they had learned from Mystique.

"Our kids will keep aging fast till they hit their teens?" Magneto asked as Forge nodded and hit a button causing the divider screen to move open so they could see into the room where Beast and nine, ten-year-old children sat in examining chairs.

"And, it seems since they've aged so fast they've already named themselves and somehow were able to remember everything from Emma's mind update and little genius Moira hacked into my systems and allowed each of them to view some ancestry/history files before I got it shut down," Lifeguard added.

"Erik, your son took your real first name. Meet Max Lehnsherr," Forge said at the boy with platinum blond hair.

"Scott, your daughter took your mother's name. Meet Kat Summers," Forge said at a girl with hair the color of Mystiques.

"Unfortunately, my daughter just wants to be called Darkholme, after her mother," Forge said glaring at Mystique while the evil mutant grinned at the girl with long black hair braided into a ponytail.

"Bobby, your son for no real reason calls himself Zach Drake," Forge said of the boy with blond hair.

"Creed, meet your daughter, Victoria Creed," Forge said of the girl with blond shaggy hair and freckles.

"Sean, your son, Shane Cassidy," Forge said of a boy with short, spiky red hair.

"Rouge, meet your brother Ira Adler," Forge said of a boy with shoulder length brown hair with red streaks.

"And, what scares me, Sinister's daughter, Nadia Sabah-Nur," Forge said as they looked at the girl with very long, jet black hair, blue skin and a red diamond in the center of her forehead.

"I thought you said none of them have mutations yet," Erik commented.

"They don't it seems this child has natural blue skin like her mother and hair and birth mark of her father," Mystique said with a grin fearing why the child chose the last name she did as the others thought it as well but didn't want to say it aloud.

"And even though she doesn't remember anything of her former life she just knows her name is supposed to be Moira MacTaggert," Lifeguard added to change the mood drawing attention to the girl with brown hair and glasses.

"I can't believe that's her," Banshee said starring at the little girl that was a splitting image of the woman he had once loved.

"So what are we going to do about these babies, I mean kids?" Rouge asked as she looked down there.

"I am their mother so what makes you think you get a say in anything?" Mystique asked keeping her evil grin to herself.

"I am her father and I won't be kept out of this child's life. This is my chance to do right by my kin," Creed growled as he looked at Mystique and thought of their last child they shard and how that all ended.

"Oh right, might as well just let Apocalypse raise the kid," Bobby commented.

"Just try and keep me from my child, punk," Creed threatened.

"That's enough, first we have to figure out how to handle these kids," Forge interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Cyclops asked.

"Well, these kids will age until they hit their early teens and trigger their x-gene and develop their powers. This is where we run into two problems. One, we don't know how this experiment Mystique, Sinister and Apocalypse will effect them or what kind of powers or mutations will manifest," Forge began to explain.

"And the second?" Magneto asked already fearing the answer.

"Beast shows a strange reading in the kids and with what Raven told us about a second injection to bring them adulthood, I just ran some tests. When they develop their powers, they will stop aging. At this time, they will be very influential to good and evil, but one year after their powers manifest they must be injected again to advance to adult hood and become stabilized to live a normal aging life," Forge said looking at his instruments.

"And if they are not injected?" Cyclopes asked.

"If not injected with the right serum, their powers will continue to grow as their bodies won't which will lead them to burn out and die," Mona answered as they all turned and stared down at the kids.

_**Transporter Room **_

"Looks like we have everything setup," Sage said as she looked over the system configurations.

"I'm glad Forge let the two of you out of the holding cells to help," Slipstream said.

"This may not be my universe but until I find a way home or the Exiles retrieve me I will do what I can to help," Blink said as she tried to hold herself together after the loss of BattleStar and needing to keep Charles safe.

"So how is this exactly supposed to work? Can't Slipstream just take us all home instantly?" Longshot asked, glad to be here to keep his mind off Allison and her wishes to be left alone.

"Even with your luck, it would be too big a risk and too much of a strain for my brother to try and teleport this large ship and the number of people on board safely," Lifeguard's voice said from all around them.

"This way will be much safe. The devise Sage and Forge built will siphon off and combine both mine and Blink's powers and fuel this portal and instantly send people back to Earth," Slipstream.

"The only problems are we can only send so many at one time, to a general location and it can't be the same spot more than once without risking damage to that entry point," Sage said as hit a few more buttons and saw Blink and Slipstream sway as energy drained from them and the portal powered up.

"With luck this is ready to go," Longshot added with a wink and a smile.

"I've alerted Forge and the others so time to, oh my," Lifeguard started to say when a large explosion shook the entire ship.

"What's going on?" Blink asked.

"Forge, do you copy?" Sage asked.

"The kids, they started aging before our eyes. One of them hit puberty and scans show the others are real close to manifesting their mutant gene. An explosion went off, no serious injuries here with me but all eight teens are gone, including Moira," Forge said over the com system.

"AHHH!" Lifeguard screamed over the whole ship.

"Heather, what happened?" Slipstream asked his sister.

"The kids have freed Apocalypse and forced me to open the bay. Apocalypse has escaped with Moira and Mystique's children," Lifeguard reported.

"We need to go after them," Forge said, his voice frantic.

"We can't," Slipstream said, almost pain in her voice.

"Why is that?" Forge asked.

"The portal is up and running and between that and something the teens did, I am unable to move without risking damage to myself and possibly the portal devise ending our chances of going back home," Lifeguard said.

"Emergency alert, somebody, anybody. Stacy X is down and Mammomax is severely injured. Holding cells are down and the prisoners are escaping!" Avalanche's voice suddenly boomed over the com systems.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**The Dark – Part Three**

_**Neyaphem's Base – Formally Braddock Manor**_

"They approach," Lust said as she stepped up next to her half-brother and master of the Darkpires.

"Yes, I can see that. I just wish I knew how they defeated my Dark Elite I had sent. Have the remaining Dark Elite gather all Darkpires and make sure they do not step foot on my home," Neyaphem commanded as he switched on the monitor and watched the battle about to take place outside.

"Here they come," Emerald Dragon said as his dragon wings flapped in the wind carrying his human body.

"There must be hundreds of them," Captain Britain said as he saw the dark swarm of figures heading their way.

"Why not let green girl take them all out in one shot?" Mys-Tech asked as she glanced at Shamrock, whose new powers and lease on life had left her skin permanently green.

"No, we need to save her for inside the manor. We don't want them to know what we can do with her powers until it's too late or they may find a way to counter her effects or do something to Amanda," Psylocke said as the darker cloud in the dark got closer.

"Okay, we will hold them off out here while Shamrock and her team sneak in and end this darkness.

_Okay, I've got us a lock in. You know what to do_, Lockheed said to Gatecrasher who activated her teleportation devise causing her, Lockheed, Shamrock, Psylocke, Pete Wisdom, Union Jack and Ferro2 to vanish instantly.

"This will be fun," Mys-Tech said as she shot of intense mystical laser beams of light from her wristbands killing three Darkpires instantly into dark ash.

"No killing if we can avoid it. These are civilians turned against their will," Captain Britain growled at the woman with high-tech mystical armor.

"Then you won't survive," Thug said as he punched the Captain and sent him flying backwards.

"Thug, don't force us to hurt you," Ringtoss said as he bound his turned teammate with energy rings.

"You, hurt us?" Honey Lemon laughed as she opened her purse and suddenly hundreds of large Darkpire Bats flew out and swarmed at the heroes.

"You make this too fun," Mys-Tech said as she leapt into the air and opened her hands.

Two mechanical balls shot from her hands after being charged with some kind of mystical energy. The balls flew up into the air and then exploded in a pulse of bright mystical light instantly turning all the Darkpire Bats into dark ash while making the regular Darkpires, including Honey Lemon, to leap back shrieking in pain. Without missing a beat, two semi-blades shot out of each of her arms and then ignited in mystical energy, glowing bright. She dove into the fight with the Darkpires, trying her best to try not to kill any, but she wasn't making any promises.

"Who is she?" Meggan asked her husband.

"I don't know. There was another that used that name and armor but I heard she either died or vanished, but this is someone new taking on the persona," Captain Britain answered as he and his team fought the endless forces of the Darkpires with no end in sight.

"Please, let the light down and let me in," China Doll said as she tried to get close to Emerald Dragon.

"I," Emerald Dragon started to say as he seemed to power down and let China Doll get closer to him.

"That's it," China Doll said as she slithered closer, her dark fangs ready to strike and her hand glowing with power.

"Snap out of it," Spitfire said as she used her super speed and strength to hit China Doll and send her flying and accidentally into Burning Skull.

"Ops," Burning Skull said as his flaming power burned bright and accidentally caused China Doll to scream and burst into a puff of dark ash when she landed upon him.

"The others better hurry and fast," Baymax said as he did his best to fend off the Darkpires as well as his best friend, Hiro.

_**Inside Braddock Manor**_

_Thanks to a little magical help from Lockheed, I have link us all mentally. We must keep silent, _Psylocke's voice entered each of her team's minds once Gatecrasher brought them all deep inside the mansion.

_They knew we are here, we might as well make a bang out of it _Pete Wisdom thought back.

_I think trying to keep our former home in one piece would be nice as well as not risking our plan, save our friends and the city, _Lockheed said as he took lead, followed by Psylocke, Pete Wisdom, Gatecrasher, Ferro2 and bringing up the rear, Union Jack.

_Behind that door is where Amanda is being kept, _Psylocke said as she nodded in front of them.

"Well, do come in," a voice called out as the door opened and an unseen force pulled them all in.

"Neyaphem," Psylocke said as she and her team now stood in the room staring at Kurt and Amanda's half brother who stood on a platform next to where Amanda was incased in a strange holding bubble made of darkness that pumped darkness up and out fueling the dome of darkness surrounding Her Majesty's entire Kingdom.

"Yes, that's right. You've lost and now we will finish this," Lust, Stefan and Kurt's half sister from their demon father, said as she stepped out on the platform on the other side of Amanda.

"The two of you, any time," Psylocke said as she leapt towards them and was suddenly hit by something hard and fell to the side.

"You forget about your besty so soon?" A woman asked landing in front of Psylocke.

"Yukio," Psylocke said as she got to her feet quickly and faced her best friend.

"Would you really kill me?" Yukio asked as she smiled, baring her dark fangs and matching blades.

"Only if I have to," Psylocke said as she surrounded her body in a purple light of psionic armor and created matching swords and dove at her friend turned Darkpire.

_You have to keep them occupied while me and Shamrock get to Amanda, _Lockheed said to the others.

"Easy 'nuff," Union Jack said as he started firing his guns that, thanks to Lockheed, shot magical bullets of pure light.

Neyaphem screamed as the bullets of light hit him and drilled him with pain. Lust called out in anger and leapt at the man but was met by Gatecrasher and Ferro2. Gatecrasher swung out with her arm and with great strength sent Lust backwards while Ferro2 leapt towards her with his swords swinging. Not only was Neyaphem having a time avoiding light bullets but Pete Wisdom sent as many hot knives as he could at his former teammate's half brother. The master's of the Darkpires were completely on the defensive leaving Lockheed and Shamrock to move quickly to Amanda's side.

"Ferro!" Gatecrasher shouted as Lust snapped his arm and ripped out his throat while pouncing on her next.

_We have to do it now, _Lockheed said with urgency.

Shamrock nodded and activated the devise and called on her powers. Shamrock suddenly, with great pain, turned to pure living green light and stepped into the dark area and plunged herself onto Amanda. Both Lust and Neyaphem turned and screamed as they saw the area around Amanda go from black to a bright green light and then shoot upwards until it hit the top of the dark dome. Then, in a huge explosion of green light, the done vanished and the biggest and brightest green light engulfed they entire country that had once been in complete darkness. The green light instantly turned each and every Darkpire back to their normal human forms, purging all dark out of them. Cheers went up everywhere, even from Captain Britain and his team, just when all looked lost they were saved including Hiro, Thug and Honey Lemon.

"What happened?" Yukio asked as she suddenly found her self held to the ground by Psylocke who had her hand around her neck and was ready to drive a sword into her.

"We saved the world," Shamrock said as she became normal again, aside from the green skin, holding an unconscious but very much alive Amanda.

"No!" Lust cried as the dark left the room and the green light faded leaving her weak and the bodies of Kiwi Black and Abyss to drop to the ground.

"Yes!" Gatecrasher said as she threw Pandora at her, releasing the slime that latched onto her and instantly sucked the life from her before returning to the ball and giving its master revenge for the loss of those that had been on her team.

"You think you've rendered me powerless?" Neyaphem said as mystical energy formed around his hands and spears formed out of darkness and plunged through Pete Wisdom, pinning him to the wall.

"Pete," Union Jack called out as he ran to the man's side firing at Neyaphem.

"This isn't over, for I still have something that my dear brother hold's dear," Neyaphem said as Abyss stood up and combined his powers with his brother.

"What do you mean?" Psylocke asked as the dark spears vanished and Pete fell, lifeless into Union Jack's arms.

"Just ask his daughter, she made all of this possible," Neyaphem said as he and his two brothers vanished from site into the darkness.

"Oh, I will," Psylocke mumbled as she sadly went to join the others by Pete's side and prepare to clean up after the dark.

**Next: Issue #49 – Different Paths – Part One & X-Calibur: A New Day **


	50. Different Paths Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #49 – Different Paths – Part Two**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"How are you sis?" Slipstream asked.

"I am better. I'm glad I was able to quickly reboot and repair myself in time to reinforce the cells and get the dampers on, not that we have that many in holding cells now," Lifeguard said.

"Well, just the ones that need it or we aren't sure of," Sage said as she rechecked the computer systems and made sure the portal was still operational.

"Okay, the meeting is starting," Lifeguard said as she linked up everyone in the ship so that those not in the large meeting room could witness and be a part of the conversation, even those in cells.

"Okay, before we address the children and the escapees, I need status on the injured," Forge said.

"Thanks to VivaMuerte and Darklight they were able save Mammomax and Stacy X and heal up the other minor wounded," Beast said as the video feed from the Infirmary showed him, VivaMuerte, Darklight and those being tended to.

"What about Romulus?" Wolverine asked looking up at the screen slightly to the left of where Forge was standing.

"Sorry, there was nothing we could do. Without his healing factor he was dead before my team could get to him," Beast said as Wolverine growled in anger, not because Romulus was dead but that he had been deprived of doing it himself.

"No loss," Wolverine grumbled as he thought back to not that long ago…..

"_What's going on?" Wolverine asked as he hated being kept in this cell and not allowed to be free, he was an X-Man darn it. Hell, they had allowed Victor out somewhere. _

"_Something is happening out there. The fields have weakened," Shirubá-Shi said as she felt the door leading out of their room. _

"_Then I say we're out of here," Wild Child said as he slammed his shoulder against the door and after a few minutes of help from a few others the door went down. _

"_What the?" Wolfsbane asked as they saw a bunch of figures running down the hall and Stacy X and Mammomax lying on the ground injured with Avalanche using his powers to send a few figures backwards. _

"_Guys, somehow the ones being held individually as prisoners have been released and are making an escape," Avalanche said. _

"_Romulus," Wolverine said as he leapt past everyone and made it to the cell were his evil grandfather had been. _

"_You're too late, brother. By rite, I have claimed the title of Romulus, lord of all our kind," Maximus Lobo, the revealed half-brother known as Dog Logan said as blooded dripped form his hands to match that of Romulus's neck as he threw the limp body to the floor. _

"_You are not Romulus," Wolverine said as he extracted his claws not caring if he had no healing factor to close the wounds and stop the bleeding form his knuckles. _

"_He is right, as I recall, the new Romulus is chosen by the current title holder and honored by a battle to the death. You murdered a powerless man and since there are plenty of kin to challenge for the title you can't officially claim it unless you beat us all in death," Daken said as he stepped next to his father. _

"_I have claimed the title and the only one that will have the honor of it next will be my children," Maximus Lobo declared. _

"_You are not my father!" Wolf Cub shouted as he leapt at Lobo in almost full wolf form. _

"_It seems something is wrong and out powers are slightly returning," Lobo laughed as he claws erupted form his fingernails and with great speed and strength slashed out, hit and gutted his son and sending him back against the wall. _

"_I'll stop the bleeding, but I hope what little healing factor is back will be enough to keep him alive," Wolfsbane said as she tore off pieces of her outfit to try and bind the wound. _

"_If I have to kill you two then that will be easy," Lobo growled as he was able to turn into a half wolf for now. _

"_No, you will have to face him and all his children," X-23 said as she, Shirubá-Shi and Erista stepped next to Daken and Wolverine. _

"_This does not mean I forgive you," Shirubá-Shi said to Wolverine as he looked and saw she at a single bone claw extracted form each of her under arm and extended so long that the way she wrapped her arm around them it looked like she was holding two swords. _

"_Trust me, the time will come but my ship is leaving," Maximus said as he bolted out the room and had made it on the departing shuttlecraft before Wolverine and the others could catch up to him and the escapees. _

"So that Makes Apocalypse and the children off in one craft and a second craft carrying Lobo, Shadow Nova, Adrienne Frost, Shinobi Shaw, Deadpool and Modifier who they have taken Professor X with them as a hostage," Forge said looking at everyone.

"We did manage to capture and keep a few. The following are the ones currently being kept in individual cells: Cordelia and Christian Frost, Victor Creed, Sebastian Shaw and Magnetrix," Lifeguard said as Emma opened her mouth and then chose to close it.

Emma decided with certain people listening it may not be wise to reveal her brother had chosen to stay and had actually admitted to her he had been left no choice but to run with the Brotherhood. He just felt he had no where else to go, and with no family to want him and love him he had fallen in with this bad crowd. They had each other now and she would not let anything bad happen to him and she will not let Magnetrix or his evil boyfriend anywhere near him. It had always been Emma and Christian and she would make it was like that again. She wouldn't fail him again.

"I say good riddance to them and Charles," Warren said.

"We have to get the children back and as much as I may agree with you, we can't let that go unleashed. Charles needs to be found and brought back and answer to all of us for what he's done," Scott said as many agreed on some or all of his points.

"Lifeguard has already agreed to stay behind with her brother to be a part of the team to hunt down and rescue the children. The time is now to decide who wants to return home and who stays. I will be staying to lead the team as I want to bring my daughter home. Between the three of us we will easily be able to return home," Forge said as he looked at everyone.

"I want to remain behind. I want to hunt down my son," Sebastian Shaw said.

"Yeah, right, like we believe that one," Iceman said.

"I know my word isn't much but I know Shaw and if he says he wants to help his word is good," Emma Frost said.

Many had reservations about Shaw and others wanting to stay and help but after what seemed like forever it was finally decided who would stay and who would be heading home. The group staying was large enough that they could split into two groups if they wanted to so they could hunt down both ships. As unsure as Forge was, he couldn't deny anyone their choice of what they wanted to do so they got the portal ready and opened the first one, Xavier's School for Gifted Children.

"I hope you all understand why I am leaving," Sway said as she looked at Darwin, Vulcan, Spirit and Petra.

"It's okay, but I'll miss you," Vulcan said as he gave her a hug.

Sway and the others don't really remember their lives before waking up lost in space, but they had been a great team and better friends. She knew there could really be something between her and Vulcan but after her best friend Océana died and discovering her sister Jean and the rest of her family she really wanted to return with them and get to know them and discover herself and her family. She gave one last hug to each, said she would see them soon and entered the portal after the others that had begun to go through.

"Mom, don't be mad," Rachel said as she looked from Jean Grey to Cable.

"Hey sis, it's not like we can't talk or get together, you're just a teleport over the ocean away," Cable said as he saw in his sisters eyes how she was not used to his new all steel look.

"Oh, I know, it's," Rachael began to say.

"That you need to go back to X-Calibur and get what closure you need from your team and with Pete," Jean finished, not needing to be telepathic to know what her daughter needed.

Magneto walked over to Wanda after he had talked to Colossus and Juggernaut. As much as he should be joining the party going after Mystique's children, he had discovered another son, rediscovered a lost daughter and had a child on the way. This didn't include the extended family from Wanda. He had to leave space behind and tend to his other family on Earth. A part of him almost felt guilty that he had no intention to acknowledge this spawn of Sinister's and Ravens. Colossus had promised to do what ever he could to bring his son back to him and on the side, Cain had promised to do what was necessary if the boy was beyond salvation and had become an evil spawn of Apocalypse.

"Wanda," Magneto began to say to his daughter.

"Erik, dad, a lot has happened and we all need time. No need to rush this. Lorna is staying in space and Pietro is going to take Luna back to her mother and spend some time there. He really needs to get his head together. I have not only my own team and school to get back in order but I have three sons now that I have to dedicate my time to as well as you need to get what you have going on over there in order before we starting anything else," Wanda said referring to pregnant Storm, Skywalker and her newly discovered evil sister, Magnetrix.

"I assure you, I will come to Salem to visit you," Erik said as he leaned over and kissed his daughter on the forehead and headed to the portal.

"Father," Quicksilver nodded as he zipped passed him and kissed Wanda.

"You take care of yourself and I will be talking to you soon. You watch after your daddy, Luna," Wanda said as she kissed and hugged her nice and waved as they headed to the portal.

"You will watch over him right?" Colossus asked his sister.

"Yes, I will let nothing happen to him," Illyana said as she hugged her big brother understanding that he was staying not only to help his friends but he needed to chase after and save the woman he had grown to love.

"I feel bad for not staying," Sam said as he stood in front of his newly discovered grandpa, four brothers and sister from his first life before he had been inserted into a new one.

"Sam, we may have all just been reunited but you have another family that needs you right now. You need to get them home to your mother and you have a school to run. That place is you and Dani's responsibility now and they all need you. We'll be back soon enough," Scott said as he hugged Sam and watched Sam round up his other siblings and walk through the portal before catching a very cold stare from Emma as she headed to the portal.

"I hope those portable cells old them like Sage said they would," Banshee said after he said his good-byes to his daughter and she ran after Sam and he turned to face Beast and Iceman.

"My family understands I have to stay to go after my kid, but you don't have to stay Hank," Iceman said.

"Actually I do. It's going to take Sage, Mona, Forge and myself to create the serum needed to save those kids," Beast said as he looked over at Animala, his other reasons to stay.

"For that I thank you," Sean said as he cuffed his friend's arm with affection.

"I don't see why I have to go," Sage's daughter, Cipher said glaring at her mother.

"Because I need you safe back at the mansion till we get back," Sage said as her daughter turned and stormed off.

"Whether they're ten or in their twenties, they can still throw the same tantrums," Sean said as Sage joined his group.

They all watched as the last person stepped though the portal and it flared and then shut down. ****See Mutant Generation Force #51 for this groups return to Earth** **It took a few minutes but they were able to bring it back up and open a new portal. This time they had managed to set it to open in the vicinity of England. It was time and those heading to Braddock manor and X-Calibur were ready to go and started heading into the portal. Nightcrawler turned to Rouge before he lead his children through the portal.

"I hope you don't think ill of me for not staying to help you," Nightcrawler said to his half-sister.

"No, I understand. It took me forever before I was able to accept Raven as my mother and now that I remember my first life I've had to come to terms with her as my father and Destiny as my mother. I don't judge you if you don't want to be close or near her and unlike me, those kids are only your half siblings," Rouge said looking at her discovered real half-brother.

"It's not that, well not fully that. I just got my son back and I need to return to home and get things settled with them and their moms," Nightcrawler said as he touched his sister's blue skin cheek.

"I understand. What crazy families we have," Rouge laughed as she hugged him and waved as he put his arms around his kids and went through the portal. ****See next issues back-up story for this groups return to Earth****

"Okay, one last group to go," Forge said as they fired up the portal one last time to arrive in Salem, Massachusetts.

"You don't have to go, we could use you with us here," Forge said to the pink skin mutant.

"Thanks, but we really need to get back to Earth. If my team is to look for us or try and find me that is where they'll look. Since Darklight was once a member of our team they've invited us back to their place for now," Blink said as she turned and headed towards the group heading into the portal.

"I hope you will stay with us there," Tandy said as she and Darklight looked at Anna Johnson, Cloak's sister.

"You only want me there as a reminder of the friend you lost," Anna said as she tried to hide her emotions about finally reconnecting with her long lost brother only to have him murdered.

"No, your family," Darklight said as he looked at his aunt.

"I have my own super hero life to return to but we'll see," Anna said as she thought about her fail attempt to be the hero vigilante known as the Shadow.

"I really appreciate you letting me come with you," Longshot said as he and Wade headed towards the portal.

"Hey, we're best buds," Wade said as he put his arm around his new best friend knowing how hard it was to leave behind a woman he loved who no longer loved him back.

"Hey, I'm the luckiest guy in the world," Longshot said as he looked back one last time at Allison Blair before they went into the portal and it closed behind them. **** See Salem-X #54 for this groups return to Earth****

"That's the last of them," Sage said as she shut down the devise and store it for once more use, when they were all done with their mission and returned home as well.

"We better decide what we're going to do before their trails get too cold," Slipstream said.

"We can't risk losing certain individuals. We will brake off into three teams. Once team will go after the children, the second team will go after Charles and the escapees while the last group will stay here to guard and keep our way home safe," Forge said as he looked at everyone in the room.

"How do we decide who stays and goes?" Cyclopes asked Forge with a tone that said he didn't like to share leadership roles.

"We'll iron this out here in a few minutes," Forge said as he left the room. There were so many people he just needed a brake.

"What's the point letting me stay to help if I have to stay locked up?" Sebastian Shaw asked as Forge walked past him, ignoring him.

"Well, hello there, lover. What brings you down here," Mystique asked as Forge stepped up to her cell.

"We're setting up a team to go after the children," Forge said.

"Why would I care what happens to those brats," Mystique said as she glanced away briefly.

"You don't fool me, Raven. I know you care about them. Whether they started out as experiments or not. You wanted in on the rescue and that's why you're still here," Forge said as he looked at the woman.

"Is that the only reason I'm still here?" Raven asked as she looked up and met his eyes.

"No," Forge said as he deactivated the cell, stepped in and took the blue skinned woman in his arms, kissing her passionately.

**Note: X-Calibur will return next issue with a whoel new back up story. **

**Next: Issue #50 – Different Paths – Part Three & X-Calibur: A New Day **


	51. Different Paths Part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #50 – Different Paths – Part Three**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"Okay, I have the two X-Crafts ready to go and all equipped with mine and Forge's upgrades," Lifeguard's voice said from the ship itself.

"Good, I just wish I could go and didn't have to stay behind. At least you will be able to be with them connected via your link with the two ships," Slipstream pouted.

"You know you have to stay here. You're our meal ticket home. If something happened to you on this mission then we all are stuck here," Sage said as he looked over the last of the readouts on the monitor.

"What about you and Forge? You two have the knowledge of the portal devise and you're both going out there," Slipstream added.

"Actually, I'm not. I have been elected to stay here and take command of the group staying behind. Mona has more than enough knowledge to assist Forge and Beast with making the serum. If need be, through Lifeguard's link, I can consult at any time," Sage said as she pressed a few buttons and went over the team rosters while checking the monitors of the groups going and staying.

As much as they didn't want to be separated Cyclopes insisted that his wife and child remain behind on the ship here where they would be safe. Also staying behind was his sister and questionable brother Adam known as X-Treme. Sage knew that the story of dividing up the family was a ruse to cover up the feeling that Ruby wasn't ready for major combat and neither of them wanted to deal with X-Treme. Because of recent events the rumors of him being a Summers was confirmed but it was hard for all of them, including Corsair, to face a person that was harvested from their dead mother and genetically grown with Shi'ar technology. Out of all the newly revealed Summer's family, Adam was the hardest to accept so Sage was stuck with him.

The good times just kept coming as she was assigned her crew. Petra was staying behind as well. She wanted to go with her brother Iceman but Bobby wanted her here on the ship where she would be safe and he wouldn't lose her again. Also being left behind was, by his choice and Sage's grief, Avalanche as well as two others that weren't ready for the battle the others were raging, Mammomax and Krakoa. At least the final two members were tolerable and would actually provide assistance if they needed it, Spark and Colossus. She was glad for their help even though she knew the only reason Colossus was staying behind was to attempt to reconnect with Lifeguard.

Sage then looked at the roster as she saw the ship jet out after Apocalypse and the children. Forge and Cyclops were heading that mission. Sage was already cringing at the conflict in that dual leadership role. Also going after their own children were Iceman, Mystique, Sabretooth, and Banshee. Rouge was going since she was related to all the children through Mystique but also because one of the children was a full sibling of hers. Mona MacTaggert was going because of her sister was with the children and that she was part of the science/serum team with Forge and Beast who was aboard the ship as well. Besides them there were a few others going with them for support, whether it was emotional or in case of battle.

Stacy-X was going because she and Bobby had developed a relationship again, plus no one else wanted her on their teams. Vulcan was going to assist his newly found brother and because the Summers clan had divided themselves up amongst the three groups. Gambit was along, not because he enjoyed the newly found fact that he was genetically considered a son of Scott's but to be there to build on his relationship with Rouge. The last two members of their crew were Queen Animala and Wingblade. Even though they were asked not to come they demanded to come since one was in love with Beast and the other was not only in love with Creed but also seemed to be the only one able to keep his feral side in check.

Sage shook her head as she then gave clearance and saw the second ship take off after the evil escapees and their prisoner, Professor X. Even though ninety percent of them say let the bad guys have Charles and good luck in space, they all knew these bad guys had to be brought in and even Charles had to answer to all of them for what he had done to them and kept from them. Corsair and Lilandro were leading this expedition. Both wanted to find and bring back Charles Xavier, but for two totally different reasons. One wanted answers from his father while the other just wanted Charles to simply answer for what he had done to his entire family. Juggernaut was going as muscle against the bad guys and to find his step-brother. There was a lot of debate but they had given in and allowed Spirit to go with them. Spirit wanted a chance to get to know his half-brothers Cain and Lilandro as well as finding his in, Charles. As part of the dividing of the clan, Havok had agreed to go with his estranged dad to help bring in Charles. Scott had felt it would do them good to work together as well as give Scott a break from his strong headed brother.

Also joining them was Polaris, who was there for Havok and Darwin who thought he could be helpful against the bad guys but he wanted to be there with his best friend, Spirit. Wolverine and his Daughter Shirubi-Shi were going simply after Lobo, the new Romulus. Sebastian Shaw was going to make his son pay and maybe Charles, but Loa was going as well because, Shinobi was her father and she wanted a say on whether she stopped or helped her grandfather take him out. The last member of the team was Archangel. They needed him for ruthless help and the simple fact he wanted revenge on them and especially Xavier, plus, the last thing they needed was him being around Apocalypse and risk any influence over him.

"So, what are we going to do with our time waiting for both teams to get back?" Avalanche asked as he leaned up against the console next to Sage.

"Figure out how you're going to walk again after I cripple you permanently if you don't move your legs," sage said as Avalanche scooted quickly away from her.

"Poor bloke, can't make someone love you who don't share the same feelings that you do," Colossus said from the other end of the deck.

"Wise words there, Piotr," Spark said with a hint of truth in her voice, whether meant for her or for her metal friend.

"So, how are you doing?" Colossus asked.

"I know what people think and it's not what I went through. I am completely human, all implants are gone and that has nothing to do with my leaving behind Longshot. We started drifting apart long before we got lost in space. I need some space, literally, and this seemed to be the only way to get that for now," Spark said as she looked off into the dark unknown.

"I hate not being with him," Red said as she sat and fed Je'se.

"I know, but this way he can do what needs to be done to protect his wife and son while going after his daughter," Ruby said.

"I know Scott talked some of his former life before we met but I had no idea how big his clan was and how many children he had sired," Red said as she looked at the woman who was the cloned sister of her husband.

"Hey, it takes some getting used to. I knew I was a clone, but when I lost my other brother, a clone as well, I felt alone and like a nobody. After all that has happened, I went from being a loner to part of a huge family and being something to someone too. Just enjoy it," Roberta said as she sat down and glanced at her nephew.

"Yes, you are right. Now would be a good time to get to know my mate's sister," Red said with a slight smile.

"This seat taken?" Petra asked as she approached the man sitting in the lounge room by himself.

"No, have a seat if you like," Adam said waving his hand.

"Name's Barbara Drake, my brother is Iceman," Petra said introducing herself to the man that appeared around her age if not too much older than her.

"Yeah, I know who your brother is. My brother is Cyclops, on the original team with your brother," Adam said.

"That's right, you're also the brother of my friend and original teammate, Vulcan. How come you're not on the mission going with the both of them?" Petra asked.

"Same reason as you, not to be in the way," Adam said with a sigh.

"How can that be, I saw Corsair declare all of you his children, including you and the clone, Ruby," Barbara said.

"It's complicated," Adam said.

"I don't see how it can be. Xavier messed with all of us. No matter what happened in the past, we are all now reconnected with our families and now have a chance to build those relationships," Barbara said.

"It's different for you and the others. You were related and had memories altered. See, my mom, was pregnant with me when aliens kidnapped her and my father, Corsair, leaving my other four brothers being abandoned to Earth. The aliens then killed my mother which led Corsair to become the leader of the Starjammers.

"While they all knew my mother had been killed, none of them knew she was pregnant with me. Somehow, the aliens harvested me form her womb and used their technology and genetics to keep me alive and grow me and advance my age in a lab. Once free I came to Earth wanted to convince them that I was the third Summers brother. Vulcan had been erased form all minds and Sam was inserted into another life.

"Anyway, no one believed me and I was discarded until now. Even though it is validated I am their brother and son, all they see is a reminder of their murdered mother and wife and a genetically grown spawn," Adam all said with what seemed like one breath.

"Hey, don't feel that way. Scott asked you to remain behind to help protect his wife and infant child. No bigger honor or trust than that," Barbara said as Adam looked at her.

"Yeah, I guess, but," Adam started to say.

"No buts. Things are going to be just fine. You'll see," Barbara said with a smile as she touched his hand.

"I think you might be right," Adam said as he smiled for the first time in a long time.

_**Epilogue**_

"Two shops have departed and headed in two different directions," one of the crew men reported.

"That is of no conscience to me. All I care about is that ship in front of us," the figure in the captain's chair responded.

"I am reading thirteen life forms," the crew man said.

"How many on that ship does not matter. I am after but one and I will have her again," the captain said.

"Yes, Zekk. What ever you wish you will have," the crew man said as his captain laughed with great intensity.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**A New Day**

_**Braddock Manor**_

"How is Pete?" Brian Braddock asked as he stepped into the medical ward.

"Still weak but he'll live. I'm glad that Mys-Tech detected a small trace of life in him and Lockheed, Amanda and Shamrock were able to bring him back from the brink," Meggan said as she leaned her head against her husband's chest.

"What about the others?" Brian asked as he glanced at the other beds.

"Amanda is resting. After what she went to and then using what strength she had to help Pete, she's pretty weak and drained. Kurt's brother, Abyss, is still in a coma-like sleep. Vitals are good though," Meggan said.

"Good, I'm hoping he'll be able to provide us some answers," Psylocke said as she stepped into the room to join her brother and sister-in-law.

"We'll have to be patient. With the Kurt and the other's still missing, he's our only chance at finding out what Neyaphem meant by Kurt's daughter making this attack possible," Brian said.

"You really think Nightmagik had setup the attack on us before she vanished?" Meggan asked, hating to believe the worst in anyone.

"I've never trusted her, but like you, accepted her on Kurt's word," Psylocke said.

"Speaking of trust, I think it's time we find out who this Mys-Tech is," Brian added, changing the subject.

"Too late, she's gone," Psylocke said.

"What do you mean gone?" Brian asked in surprise.

"It seems that she was able to use her technology to get Gatecrasher's ability to teleport dimensionally working again, and in exchange was aloud to join her group," Psylocke answered.

"Darn, I was really wanting to find out who she was. Guess she's Gatecrasher's problem now," Brian said as he shook his head in frustration, "what about the others?"

"Hiro and the rest of Big Hero 6 are all setup in the east wing of the mansion. Not sure when they are planning on leaving. They are licking their wounds, per say and wanting to further look into what happened to Sunfire and Silver Samurai," Psylocke said trying to hide the sadness in her heart.

"That's fine, more help the merrier. Don't worry, we'll find them," Brian said knowing his sister too well for her to hide her pain from him.

"I know, anyways, the Invaders headed out already too. Which I can say I don't mind Jack and Spitfire, but Blazing Skull gets on my last nerve," Psylocke added wanting to change the subject.

"What about Molly?" Meggan asked.

"She plans on staying. Despite her permanent green skin, she thinks she can really be an asset to us now, even though I keep telling her she always had been," Brian told his wife.

"Which is good since Grizzly chose to leave with Gatecrasher too," Psylocke through in quickly.

"He what?" Brian asked.

"After this whole event he said this team really wasn't for him. With the death of Ferro2, he seemed like taking his place on Gatecrasher's team was a way to honor and avenge his death," Psylocke said as she didn't want to really tell her brother that she had placed on her teammates honor and infatuation with Mys-Tech to agree to join the Technet to keep an eye on them and find out more about the mysterious lady.

"Please tell me that Yukio and Benedict didn't leave as well," Brian added.

"No worries, they're both staying," Psylocke said as she thought about the very deep conversations that were being had after the Darkpire event and China Doll's seduction and death.

"Good, all is almost back to normal. I've been spending so much time assisting, MI-13 to help with damage control and clean up to get our country back on track that I'm beat," Brian said as the civilian casualty count, as bad as any loss of life could be, was not as bad as he had first imagined.

"Hey, I hate to break things up, but we really need you up here," Emerald Dragon's voice burst from their Comm System.

"What's going on?" Brian said as they were already on their way.

"Just get up here," was all Emerald Dragon responded.

Meggan, Captain Britain and Psylocke made to the door leading out onto the front yard in time to join Emerald Dragon, Lockheed, Shamrock and Shuriken. It didn't tae long for Big Hero 6 to come rushing out as well and gasp at the sight before them. A glowing orb had formed in the middle of the front yard and was growing rapidly. Brian suddenly realized it was a portal that was beginning to open. Brian looked at Lockheed and the dragon shook his head while mentally confirming that there was nothing he could do to close it and Amanda was way too weak to be pulled up here to assist.

"Everyone prepare yourself, who knows who or what will be coming out of there," Brian said as the portal opened fully and several figures began to walk out.

"I don't believe it," Hiro said as nine figures stepped out of the portal as it closed quickly behind them.

"Shiro!" Psylocke screamed as she ran and leapt into her husband's arms.

**Next: Issue #51 – The Search – Part One & X-Calibur: Homecoming – Part One**


	52. The Search Part One

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #51 – The Search – Part One**

_**Deep Space – X-Men Rescue Team**_

"May I come in?" Gambit asked after he had already walked in.

"Hey sugah," Rouge said as she stepped out of her bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, water still dripping offer her blue skin.

"You look good in blue," Gambit said with a smile.

Rouge blushed a little and she didn't know why. She had never been self conscious about how she looked, well at least during her second life. She suddenly tapped into her old new memories and remembers how long it had taken her to get used to living with blue skin. On top of learning she was part of a Secret Mutant Team Xavier had mentally kept secret from everyone, but Moira MacTaggert, a closet mutant herself, had used her powers to take Rouge and her teammates and reinserted them into new lives to protect and hide them from Charles Xavier. Obviously that worked out so well.

In Rouge's new life, her second one actually that she had always thought was the only one, she had white skin and been _taken in _by an evil mutant named Mystique and her friend and lover, Destiny. Then she goes on a quest with Sam Guthrie and the other Secret Mutants and not only did she get her memories of her first life being the real daughter of Mystique and Destiny back but it triggered her body and powers to shift and merge the two lives together. She was still Rouge and had all her memories dominant, but she could tap into her old life memories and her skin had shifted back to blue, her real skin color, and her powers acted different. She could touch someone safely now and didn't have to touch them to get their powers. She just has to be within eye shot of them and she could shape shift her x-gene to mimic their power, but she never knew for how long she would have it. Also, she could still access a persons memories by physical touch, but only if she willed it.

"So, how are you doing? Being I'm not the only one to find out who their real father is," Rouge asked with a smirk.

"He's not really my biological father. Sinister just injected Scott's DNA and Mutant Genetic Code into my mom's egg," Gambit said as he couldn't keep his eyes off the blue skinned woman with long brown wet hair with a white streak mixed within.

"No matter how you look at it, he's still your father and you are genetically connected to the Summers Clan. At least you're not related to criminal and a whole litter she spawned from an experiment with Sinister and Apocalypse," Rouge sighed as she walked out closer into the room.

"I'd rather be connected to you," Gambit said as he moved closer.

"We've been there, it never works. We're bad together," Rouge weakly protested.

"Just the way I like it," Gambit said with a kiss as Rouge dropped her towel.

_**Ship's Deck**_

"You're pretty good with a ship," Cyclops said as he stepped up behind Iceman and his brother Vulcan.

"Yeah he is," Iceman answered as Vulcan just gave him a quick glare.

"It's nothing, just what I picked up when me and my crew were stranded in space, fending for our lives," Vulcan answered thinking about is old team and all they had been through, including the stuff they don't remember pre-Xavier.

Gabriel hated that after finally being reunited and rescued that they split up so quickly. All six of them had formed such a bond after waking up in the middle of space not knowing who they were or were they came from except for the little information they had discovered. Then when they found out that they were all part of a team, a second generation and all related to the original team of X-Men. He had sworn he would protect them and do everything to keep them together. He had done all but that in the end. Océana was dead and Sway chose to go back to Earth. She hadn't chosen him and that hurt the most. At least the other three chose to remain with him, even if they were on separate missions out here.

He couldn't blame Sway, she wanted to discover more of where she came from and who her family was before being lost in space. In a sense they were all doing that as well. Even though Petra wasn't here with her twin brother, and Darwin was on another mission team, Spirit was getting to spend time with his half-brothers while Vulcan was here now with the opportunity to get to know his eldest brother. Vulcan realized he had several siblings but Scott seemed to be the one he had the most in common with and was glad he chose to be a part of this team.

"Gabriel, I can't imagine what you all must have gone through and it pains me that Xavier kept it from us that you had been sent to save my team and had _died_ doing it. If I had known, I would not have allowed that to happen or would have looked for you a long time ago," Cyclops said as he put his hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"Not your fault and we survived," Vulcan said as he shrugged off his brother's hand, not knowing why he had done it.

"Any sign of them?" Cyclops asked as he stepped back and looked at his younger brother.

He hated that Xavier had took him from him and his family. No one should be kept or taken from their family, no matter whom they are and that is why he was determined to find his daughter, even if she had been created and spawned from Mystique.

"No, but at least we are still able to track and follow their trail thanks to Forge's devise he made to allow your brother to focus his powers through to pull and control the energy enough to create the trail for us to follow, " Iceman answered.

"Great, keep up the good work you two," Cyclops said praising his brother and seeing a smile escape and then hide from his brother.

Cyclops was proud of his little brother but also feared and envied his powers as well. It seemed out of all of them he had benefited the most from their energy based mutant powers. It seemed that they all absorbed energy, in various forms and ways and then their bodies used it in various abilities as well. His father absorbed the energy and his body just used it to give his natural abilities and reflexes an added boost as well as helping resist injury and heals a little quicker than the average human. His mutant ability was a low a level as they came, unlike his children.

Cyclops, the first born, absorbed energy and could then release it in a very power concentrated blast. He could change the degree of force and power he released but seemed he was only able to do so from his eyes. He always took it as a curse since he had to wear special glasses, but now, thanks to his new wife, she had used her gifts to help teach him to control the abilities to such a degree he no longer needed glasses and could now see through normal eyes. His next brother, Havok had similar powers as his but was able to use it differently than Scott could.

Scott had always been a little jealous of Havok since the first time he had been reunited with him. His brother absorbed more cosmic based energy and he could release a plasma-like energy from all around his body or even with concentration release it from his arms and hands. Even though he too couldn't control his powers and needed a special suit to help him control and release his energy, it was better then being handicapped by your eyes. Now Scott wasn't hindered anymore and wondered after this whole adventure in space was over he could convince Havok let Jam'se try and help him with his powers like she did his. Then there was the next youngest Summers brother, the newly found Gabriel.

While on this trip, thanks to the setup from Lifeguard, Sage and Forge, Cyclops had been able to fill some of his time scanning and analyzing his family tree. From what he could tell, third times a charm as Gabriel's body had vast energy absorption as well as manipulating, transforming and projecting it on a level the rest of them couldn't. Due to his memory loss Scott knew Gabriel has not mastered or realized his Omega Level potential but it was only a matter of time and that scared Scott. It seems not only does his body absorb energy like the rest of them, Vulcan can willingly absorb or drain just about any form of energy into himself, whether it is Cyclopes' optic blast or even magical energy. Though even his body is limited to how much he can absorb at one time or withstand a direct energy blast, but once he does that then it is amazing what he can or could do with that energy.

Like their father, he can use that energy to enhance his physical abilities and even heal but on a greater scale as well as go longer without needing air or food. Then, like his brothers, he can project that energy outwards but on a whole new level than them. He can project the energy outwards to create force fields, propel him in flight as well as variable energy blasts. This is where he differs from his brothers, where his energy blasts can either be force, light, heat or real similar to electricity. Now, if it stopped there where he just excelled at having all of his brother's and father's abilities Scott wouldn't be worried , but it seems as a sort of secondary mutation, Vulcan can go one step further, instead of just absorbing energy into his body, he can manipulate and control external energy sources near or around his body.

He can see and track energy signatures, like he's doing now but also manipulate the energy to the extent he can create solid energy constructs which replicates telekinesis and reinforcing force blasts, force fields and flight. Not only does his manipulation of energy allow him to warp and disable pretty much any form of energy but with enough training he could even tap into a person's mutant energy to use it against them, disrupt them or even replicate it but to Scott's worry, even suppress or turn off a mutant's ability for a period of time. It made Scott shiver thinking if it was wise to discover this brother and maybe Xavier had a reason to "remove" him.

Then there were the last two brothers. Cannonball, who concentrated his energy into a shield around himself and propel him into flight. Now that he got his memories back from his life before being inserted into this current one, he can use his powers in two new, former ways. Without having to go into flight, he can extend his energy outwards and create an energy field around him and others for protection or just release it as a force blast. Then there was X-Treme or Adam-X. It was hard for them to accept his as a brother, despite being a fetus in their mother's belly, he had been harvested and genetically altered and grown rapidly by the Shi'ar, so he was more like a hybrid than fully human. Because of this he has super human strength, reflexes, agility, endurance, senses and other physical traits. His shared mutant energy gene is that he, like Vulcan, can manipulate energy into electricity, but because of what the Shi'ar did to him, he can only seem to tap that electrical energy when a person's blood is oxygenated, hence his Thet'je blades he carries. Scott knew that with training and help from his wife, he might be able to overcome this and even create his electrical energy from any source like Vulcan, but this wasn't a top priority for him.

Then Scott thought if the rest of the family. There were the twins who were cloned from his DNA by Sinister, Roberta and John. John had died but Roberta had survived. It was weird how they accepted her, a clone as their sister a lot easier than they did Adam, but being a clone there was that automatic bond or connection. Being his clone her powers were like his. She could generate energy blasts from her eyes but with instant control unlike Scott's and also had a secondary mutation similar to Emma Frost. She could turn her skin into a red energy ruby-like substance that not only protected her against harm but healed her flesh body and enhanced her physical abilities. Then there was his son, Gambit. Not biological but genetically his son. Sinister had taken his mutant gene and DNA and had injected it into a fetus already growing in a woman's body. This giving Remy the ability to tap into the energy of an object and kinetically charge objects with explosive energy as well as give himself superhuman physical abilities. He can also generate a static like energy around himself that not only shield and protects him from almost all telepaths but can disrupt any touch based powers.

There was also the Guthrie Clan, whose powers were the effect of an experiment from Sinister that was based on the energy gene but had very strange results. They had no true connection to the Summers' Clan except their powers were based that of the Totem of Power like theirs was. They were for all purposes, Sam's sibling from being inserted into that life, but after the reveal of his first life, any signs of Sam being biologically connected to his mom or siblings are gone. They are related by mutant power type only and in the family sense similar to one having been adopted. Scott would like to look further into how their powers were actually connected to Energy Power but that would have to be another time, for he had more pressing matters to worry about concerning his direct family.

_**Holding Cells**_

"This is ridiculous, we are all on the same mission here," Mystique said looking at Forge from the inside of her cell.

"I agree, this is not how you treat your comrades," Wingblade said as she stared from Forge to the man she loved sitting inside a cell as well.

"He's afraid I'll gut him," Creed growled with a smile. Even though he still maintained his more beast features form, he had managed to gain his intellect back and ability to stay calm thanks to Queen Animala and the effect Wingblade seemed to have on him.

"You both have a right to go after your children and I know you both wont do anything till after we find them, but till then its better to keep you both where we can keep an eye on you," Forge said as he felt a weird guilt for keeping Raven behind bars. No matter what she's done or pretended to be, Forge knew what they had found with each other was genuine and not a façade by the mistress of deception and disguise.

"Well, you now that if keeping an eye on me is all, what's going on?" Mystique suddenly shouted as the lights went dim and then began flashing red as an alarm began to sound and the room began to shake.

"Scott, Bobby, report," Forge called out through the Comm. System.

"Attention, we are in Red Alert. We are being attacked," Cyclopes voice began to say when it cut out, followed by a large boom that shook the entire ship and then sent them all into pitch black.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**Homecoming – Part One**

_**Braddock Manor**_

"I am still in shock," Betsy Braddock-Yoshida said as he looked around the room after Kurt, Kitty and Shiro had finished telling them what had happened to them. ****See X-Men: GenetiX mini-series****

"I know, to find out that the all powerful Hellfire Club Black King is none other than Shadowcat's father?" Brian Braddock gasped and then ducked when a book came flying at him.

"It's not funny," Kitty said trying not to smile.

"Kat is right though. What Xavier and his group did, it has changed a lot of lives," Kurt added as he thought of Scott and his now huge family tree.

"How is Rachel doing?" Brian asked.

"She is taking the loss of her son hard. She's with Pete now," Kitty said going quiet.

"If there is any good news in this, it's that Kurt did get his son back," Sunfire added as Betsy gave him a quick look reminding him of his short comings when it came to tact when with others.

"Yes, there is that, and that does bring us to our next point in this meeting," Brian said as he looked at the group assembled in the meeting room.

It had been a big reunion when the missing members of X-Calibur had suddenly returned. An emotional rollercoaster as loved ones were reunited, the learning of those that had died and those brought back to them, like Shamrock and Kurt's son. The most excited was Meggan when she was able to wrap her arms around little Drake again. Kurt had informed Betsy that Bobby was still in space with a group of X-Men hunting down his missing child, but said he would talk to her when he returned and trusted her decisions with their future grandson. Betsy hadn't given much response other then she was still fine with Meggan raising the little boy. She wasn't ready to be a mom or if she ever would, plus she had just gotten her new husband back and wanted to enjoy life with just them.

Big Hero 6 was glad to see both Sunfire and Silver Samurai return to them. Silver Samurai had taken the battle in space to heart as well as learning about the battle with the Darkpires. He decided to take over leadership of Big Hero 6 and they had departed back to Japan. They had invited Sunfire and his bride to join them, but he had decided it was his place to remain with his new bride and with X-Calibur. Betsy didn't need to be a telepath to know both Sunfire and Silver Samurai were relived with this decision.

After they had taken some time to celebrate their team's reunion, Brian had called for a meeting. Brian wanted the core of the team to attend, so they could discuss in detail what had happened to the missing team and what had occurred while they were gone as well as the future of the team now that everyone was back. In the meeting were Brian and his sister Betsy as well as Sunfire at his bride's request. Meggan as excused from the meeting so she could take care of Drake and with Lockheed's help make sure the boy wasn't too scared form recent events. Also excused was Rachel. She needed to be alone with Pete and wasn't ready to relive her recent adventure.

Nightcrawler and Shadowcat were in attendance but their future kids, Cat, Nightmagik and Purple Fury were not here so Brian and the others could talk freely. Brian felt just the main core members had to make the main decisions about the team. That is why the newest members, Emerald Dragon and Shuriken were not allowed in. The only exceptions were Sunfire, Betsy's husband, Amanda Szardos and Shamrock. Molly had been with the team long enough and had been through enough that she was considered a core member. As for Amanda, she needed to be here because of the next order of business.

"The clean up has gone well but still a lot of people terrified of the shadows," Betsy said.

"I just can't believe this. Not only is Stefan alive but we share the same father," Nightcrawler said scratching his head looking at Amanda.

"I had no idea that he was only my half-brother, but I shouldn't be surprised mother consulted with demons," Amanda said knowing the only thing good her mother had given her was her abilities and the bloodline for the Coven. ****See issues of Salem-X****

"Well he's out there somewhere with your other half-brother, Kiwi Black. Abyss is still here and seams to be okay but we don't now why he hasn't woken up," Shamrock said.

"I've tried, Kurt, but after what our brother put me through I'm still not up to full strength," Amanda added.

"I know Nils hasn't always made the best decisions and has always been easily manipulated. After what I've been through and with both my kids, I feel family is important and I don't want to give up on him," Kurt said.

"Speaking of kids, I hate to bring this up, but before Stefan vanished, he said that all of this happened because of your daughter, Nightmagik," Brian said carefully.

"I tried talking to her but she said she doesn't know what he's talking about. She said all she wanted was to be loved by both her parents. I know I don't really know her and I'm not her actual mother or what not, not real up on the time travel thing, but I can feel genuine emotion from her," Amanda said not really knowing what to think since she barely knew this girl who was looking at her like a mother.

"I don't know how much I can trust her motives," Betsy through in staring at the two future parents of the evil magic girl.

"Betsy, that's not fair. I know she has a bad past, but I can feel genuine goodness in her. I just have to believe she is being true and it was Stefan's last attempt to inflict some further turmoil to me and my team," Nightcrawler said.

"Well, I guess all we can do is wait for your brother to wake up and then we'll know what really was behind Neyaphem's attack on us and our country," Brian said as he decided to move on to the next order of business and come back to this later.

_**Medical Quarters**_

"I can manage on my own," Pete grumbled as he moved to a wheel chair.

"I'm sure you can," Rachel said as she still reached out and helped life the man a little.

"So where does this leave us?" Pete asked as he had trouble keeping back the tears after hearing about their future son.

"I don't know. We have a lot to processes and discuss," Rachel said as she pushed Pete's chair out of the room so they could go out into the garden and talk more privately.

"Thought they'd never leave," Nightmagik said as she appeared in the room and walked over to the bed where Nils slept.

"What are you doing?" Purple Fury asked causing his sister to jump.

"Curtis, get out of here," Nightmagik demanded.

"We were combined for a period of time. I may not know what part you actually had in the Darkpire attack here and most of what we shared has blurred since being separated but I do remember enough to know you were connected to it all somehow as well as there is a good person in you," Purple Fury said.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Get out of here now or," Margali began to say as her hands began to glow with magic.

"Or what, kill me?" Purple Fury asked as he began to glow purple.

"No," Nightmagik started to say as she whispered a few words and waived her hand causing her half brother to fly back and hit his head on the wall and pass out.

"But for you, my uncle, I can't allow you to live or talk," Nightmagik finished as she stepped over Abyss and raised her hands and began to call on her magic.

**Next: Issue #52 – The Search – Part Two & X-Calibur: Homecoming – Part Two**


	53. The Search Part Two

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #52 – The Search – Part Two**

_**Deep Space – X-Men Strike Team**_

"I can't take it anymore," Corsair said as he walked onto the deck of the ship and took the captain's chair.

"What's that?" Havok asked his had as he glanced over his shoulder from where he and his girlfriend, Polaris sat in the pilot's seats.

"Wolverine and his daughter are making him nervous," Lilandro said from the char he sat at, not taking his eyes off the monitoring systems.

"First, do not ever read my mind or you'll suffer the same fate as your father and second, yes, they just sit there guarding Shaw just staring at each other and not saying a word. Dang, would rather they fight it out," Corsair said not taking his eyes off the back of Xavier's son's head.

"Sir, I didn't mean to. I don't invade one's mind unless I have to or if I need to defend myself. It is hard for me to shut down completely so I tend to skim impressions, which is what I felt from you when you walked in," Lilandro said in defense as he kept looking at the monitor and searching out for any signs of his father.

Lilandro didn't know how to feel being with this group. All his life he had been kept hidden in a room never to interact with anyone but his father and his secret best friend, Jean Grey. Almost all the mutants he felt like he knew them all but that was just from watching from afar. At the time he knew he was following his father blindly and not giving a second thought to what his father was doing or the secrets he was keeping. It pained him more to have kept the secrets from Jean, especially about her sister. He only did what he did in hopes of keeping his father's love and to one day earn the chance at freedom.

It wasn't till recently when he was discovered that he was allowed to walk free and to find out that his father had manipulated him mentally into thinking what he was doing wasn't wrong. Now with his father not near and he was able to walk free and think free he now knew better and felt guilty. Unlike the others, he didn't wish harm on his father, no matter how guilty he may be. Especially since he took him in when his mother didn't want him and had cast him out. There was a part of Lilandro that felt there was a chance that could be a lie as well. What if his mother didn't even know about him? That was why he had to go into space, not to find his father but find answers about his mom.

A part of him wished he had stayed on Earth though. He felt a comfort when he was around Jean, since they had been friends forever and to find out she was alive made him so happy. Of course, she wasn't the only person on Earth that had captured his attention. Dani Moonstar, the current Headmistress of his father's school. He had always liked since the day she had joined the school, but it wasn't till they met for the first time in person that she took his breath away. The fact that he couldn't enter her mind unless she allowed him to spoke volumes of how she was the one for him. Despite that, the thought he got the impression she liked him too, but there's Sam as well. If only he hadn't gone on this mission he could have the chance to find out, but maybe after this was all over.

"Fine, but just make sure you stay out," Corsair said tapping his temple.

"We've finally picked up a stronger signal. We are defiantly headed in the right direction," Archangel said quickly changing the subject.

_**Cell Block**_

"Don't you ever shut up?" Juggernaut asked as he looked at Sebastian Shaw in his holding cell and Loa, his newly discovered granddaughter on the other side, both who've just now paused from their endless arguing.

"Oh, dear Cain, would you rather we just stare at each other like those two?" Shaw asked with a smile as he glanced over at Wolverine and his newly discovered daughter, Shirubá-Shi.

"Whatever makes it quiet in here works for me," Cain said.

"I don't see what there is even to argue about," Darwin said as they all looked over at the mutant half-brother of Beast.

"How can you say that? He wants to kill his son," Loa said questioning Darwin.

"Don't you wish him dead too?" Darwin asked simply.

"Yes, but doesn't' mean I believe in killing him," Loa said, her voice getting a bit softer.

"Why, because he's your father? Trust me, he's my son and I can't stand him," Shaw said.

"Don't call him that," Loa said fighting the chill down her spine.

"Listen, darlin', whether you like it or not, the man is your father as is this disgusting man is your grandfather. Good or evil, they are your kin," Wolverine suddenly said.

"Yes, you can't choose who your parents are, but you can choose the relationship you want with them or lack there of," Shirubá-Shi added to everyone's surprise.

"Jamie, I had no idea. If I had known you were alive I would have been there. I never knew," Wolverine said looking at his daughter, Jamie Silverfox.

"Like my half-brothers?" Jamie asked showing no emotion.

"Like you, I never knew Daken existed. Xavier and Moira hid him from me," James answered.

"What about Erista? You knew all about him," Jamie countered.

"He was an infant and was clearly safer with his mother," Wolverine said.

"Seems like when you are not fighting and killing you are all about the woman but never the responsibility of the consequences of your actions," Jamie said staring at her father, both knowing she was also referring to the life-span of the woman he loved.

"She's got you there," Shaw said as Wolverine popped his claws and growled while everyone else were too scared to show their agreement with Shaw.

"I have those too, but doesn't determine if I'm right or wrong," Shirubá-Shi said as a long blade looking bone shot out from each of her underarms.

If there were any doubts she was his daughter, they were gone now. Wolverine knew she had inherited his rapid healing factor and heightened senses as well as the ability to generate bone claws. Him, he had three claws on each hand. His clone, X-23 had a claw on each foot as well as claws on her hands like him but only two claws. She didn't have Adamantium laced bones like him but her claws on her feet and hands were dipped in the stuff. His eldest son, Daken was just like him in every since when it came to mutant powers except his third claw on each hand comes out of his wrist and his bone claws have a strange dark coloring to them, a natural metallic coating that allows him to cut though most metals and material. His youngest son, Erista, has the healing factor but no claws. He has sharp claws that extend from his fingernails making him more like his uncle Creed.

Wolverine now watched his daughter. Thanks to Lifeguard, Beast and Forge they did a secret scan for him before they all went their separate ways. He knew she had a healing factor just like the rest of the family and heightened senses. She also had the ability to extract claws, but according to the scans and evidence of what he was seeing she could only do one on each arm and it came our of her wrist, but she could make it come out a lot longer than any of them could. When she wrapped her hands around them it looked as if she were holding swords. Scans had said there were signs of a secondary mutation or a mix of the effects form her mother's experimented genes that gave her a newer ability. Wolverine saw it as the blood coming from her hands were she gripped the bone blades start to shimmer and quickly expand and coat the bone blade making it now look like an actual metal sword.

"Nice weapons you have there," Wolverine smirked.

"They're not Adamantium but there isn't much these can't cut through and my bones may not be unbreakable but they are harder to break than normal humans," Shirubá-Shi said as she stood calm but ready to strike.

"Now this I'll pay to watch," Shaw smiled.

"Shut up," Loa and Cain said in unison.

"I know I haven't been there in the past, but if you let me, I want to be there now," Wolverine said as he retracted his claws.

Wolverine and his daughter kept eye contact as she slightly nodded and he watched as the coating around the bone blades melted away and the bones quickly shrunk and went back inside her underarms. She then sat back down and didn't say another word as he did the same. He knew they were far from being father and daughter but this was a close as a start as they would get for now.

"What was that?" Darwin asked as the ship began to shake.

"What's going on Summers?" Wolverine asked as he activated the comm. system.

"A large ship just came out of orbit and has placed a tractor beam on us. We can't seem to shake it, whoever it is, they're bringing us in and not responding to any hails," Corsair said as he patched the image down to them.

"I recognize the ship," Spirit said as Wolverine jumped, almost forgetting the quiet kid was with them.

"You do?" Cain asked his half-brother.

"It does have a familiarity to it," Darwin said looking at it.

"It's the same ship that attacked my previous ship and caused it to crash on Red's planet," Spirit said thinking back to the planet Scott's wife was from.

"Oh no," Archangel's voice came over the intercom.

"What is it, Warren?" Wolverine asked.

"It's the Others," Spirit, Darwin and Archangel all said at once.

"Who are the Others?" Shirubá-Shi asked.

"They're like demon possessed robots," Spirit said.

"Think, the terminator, but ten times worse, very strong and fueled with a fire like energy," Warren added.

"They must have been following us after we defeated them and liberated Red's planet," Darwin said.

"Well, get ready, they'll be boarding any minute," Corsair said as suddenly their ship went dark as it was swallowed into the large ship.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**Homecoming – Part Two**

_**Braddock Manor**_

"NOOO!" Nils, the mutant known as Abyss shouted as he suddenly popped awake and his body began to unravel and grab both of Nightmagik's arms and hold her back from him.

"Let go of me," Nightmagik shouted as she felt herself growing week as the shadows of Abyss began to absorb her energy.

"What is going on?" Rachael said as she came running back in, Pete rolling in behind her.

"He just popped awake and knocked out my brother and now he's trying to swallow me," Nightmagik lied.

Rachel hated that she no longer had telepathy to read minds and know what really happened, but she did have her telekinesis. Her power flared as she grabbed hold of both Nightmagik and Abyss, pulling them apart and holding them trapped in the air, on far sides of the medical bay. After a few seconds Abyss seemed to calm and pull himself back together and looked like a slightly younger version of Nightcrawler.

"Nils, why did you attack your niece and nephew?" Rachel asked.

"My body reacted to a mystical attack. It caused me to wake up and see her trying to kill me and I was only defending myself. I don't know what happened to the purple boy," Abyss said as he felt fully healed after his brief contact with Nightmagik and absorbing her energy.

"That's not true," Nightmagik protested.

"Yes, it is," Purple Fury said as he stood up and everyone looked at him.

"What is going on in here? Every alarm has gone off," Brian Braddock asked as all of X-Calibur came rushing into the room to see Rachel holding two at bay while a third stood swaying in a wrecked area of the room.

"Curtis?" Nightcrawler asked looking at his son.

"Keep your mouth shut," Nightmagik warned.

"I can't, and maybe this is the only way to help you," Purple Fury said with sadness.

"Out with it," Psylocke said with a glare.

"I came in here and saw Margali preparing her magic to attack our unconscious uncle. I tried to stop her but she threw me across the room. As much as I know there is good in my sister, I know she has done some bad things as well. I don't know how, but she had some connection to the attack on our home here with the Darkpires," Purple Fury said, afraid to look his sister in the eyes.

"I can help with that. It's all clear to me now. Nightmagik agreed to help our brother and his Darkpires infiltrate your home here," Abyss said looking directly at Nightcrawler.

"He lies," Nightmagik said.

"I doubt that. What did she ask for in return?" Psylocke asked not needing telepathy to know who was telling lies and who wasn't.

"If he kidnapped and removed Cerise from the picture," Abyss said as multiple gasps sounded in the room.

"Margali?" Nightcrawler asked as a mix of emotions began to flood into his body.

"I wanted the chance to forgive you and I couldn't have the family I was meant to be if another woman stood in the way you and mom," Nightmagik said glancing at Amanda.

"What did you do to her?" Nightcrawler asked as he suddenly vanished and was on top of her daughter pinning her to the wall.

"Kurt!" Brian shouted as Rachel reached out and pulled Nightcrawler off of his daughter and put him in another corner of the room.

"Sorry, Nils, where is she? Is she alive?" Nightcrawler asked looking at his half-brother.

"She was placed in a cell. I don't know if she is dead or not, but I do know that our brother was keeping her alive because he wanted to kill her in front of your eyes," Nils said.

"Where is this cell?" Kitty asked as he placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Since our father was defeated the Brimstone Dimension has been closed off so our powers don't' work as they did before, accessing that place. That's why you can only do quick short distance teleports. Mine, I can still pull people in but they are placed in a very dark pocket," Abyss said.

"Is that where she is? Then let her out," Nightcrawler cried.

"It doesn't work like that. I can't just pull someone out. Once they go in they have to be physically brought back out," Abyss said.

"Then go in and get her," Shadowcat said wondering why this seemed so difficult.

"It's very dangerous in there and if I were to die then there is no coming back. Also, the longer I remain in there the harder it is for me to leave. As the longer non shadow beings or my kin are in there the weaker you get, even if I try hard to not feed off of it. Also, our brother kept us safe in there but now that he is gone I don't know what it's become like in there. If she is still alive, I can send someone in but must stay out here to be sure you are able to come back," Abyss said.

"Then how do we get out?" Brian asked.

"I signal of power light energy," Abyss said.

"That would be me," Molly said.

"Yes, you have enough light power that if you give off a surge, I will know you are ready to come out and I can come in and get you but would have to leave immediately.

"Then we go after her," Amanda said not liking the idea but felt the need to make up for her "daughter's" evil act.

"No, you must stay here," Nightcrawler said.

"But, Kurt," Amanda said.

"Kurt's right, Amanda. You're not up to full strength, but we need you here to help keep HER in check as well as having the ability to help get us back if something goes wrong and we need a rescue team," Betsey said as she glanced at the evil magic user.

"You can handle our daughter. I'll be back," Kurt said as he touched her face in a way Amanda knew that his heart belonged to another.

"Ok," Amanda said as Kurt walked up to his half-brother.

"Kurt and I will take point," Betsy said as and then faced their others, "Shamrock, Sunfire, Emerald Dragon and Purple Fury will come with us since you all have light based powers. Sorry, brother, this mission you have to sit out. You hold down the fort until we get back."

"Be careful," Brian said kissing his sister on the cheek while Abyss unraveled his body and pulled the six members of X-Calibur into his body before closing it back up.

"This should hold you till they get back," Brian said as he hit a button and a force field surrounded Nightmagik.

"The dampening field should render you powerless, if not, you got me to deal with," Rachel said as she smiled.

"Allow me, I may be weak but I have enough magic to tap into the Coven magic to temporarily help bind her magic," Amanda said as she cast a spell and Nightmagik suddenly found shackles upon her wrists with a strange white marking on them.

_**Inside the Pocket World of Abyss**_

"So cold," Kurt said as he saw they were in complete darkness.

"Allow me," Sunfire said as he ignited his body with fire to light up the room as did Shamrock.

"Well, look's like we're not alone," Emerald Dragon said as the light revealed dozens of Darkpires all around them.

**Next: Issue #53 – The Search – Part Three & X-Calibur: Homecoming – Part Three**


	54. The Search part Three

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #53 – The Search – Part Three**

_**Deep Space – X-Men Strike Team**_

"You must let me out of here," Shaw demanded of his granddaughter.

"I," Loa began to say and was silenced by the sounds of intense battle outside the room.

"We're not supposed to let him out. We have our orders," Spirit said looking at Loa, hating he was left behind as well.

Once the ship had been swallowed into the ship of the Others, Corsair led all the X-Men but four to engage the enemy outside the vessel and find a way to break free of their ship and to keep them off the X-Men ship. Lilandro was left behind to be ready to blast off once free and to focus his powers on keeping a mental communication link between all the X-Men. Loa and Spirit were left behind to guard Shaw, but Spirit knew it's because they didn't trust them as experienced fighters. From what they were picking up form the Psi-link, thinks were really rough out there and as much as he wanted to follow orders, he knew as well as Loa that a man who absorbed any kind of impact into his body to increase is density, strength and speed was the perfect opponent against the Others.

_Heads up, one got through and is headed your way now!_

"Not good," Loa said as they all received the mental warning from Lilandro.

"How do we stop it?" Spirit asked looking at Loa.

"Easy, let me out," Shaw said with a smile.

"We have no choice," Loa said knowing they needed her grandfather's help.

Calling on her powers, Loa became light and translucent as she swam through the air and approached the cell holding Shaw. Her body passed though the cell wall but she fell solid in front of her grandfather as the dampener shut down her powers, but not before the effect of her phasing through the cell wall caused it to crack and then crumble. Shaw stepped into freedom and felt his power return just as the demonic robot broke through the door. Shaw grunted in joy as the demon blasted a fiery energy at him and his body converting the energy and impact to increase its density making Shaw stronger. The Other only got a few more seconds of energy blasts off before Shaw was quickly next to it and crushing it's head with one hand and ripping the body from it with the other.

_Wolverine says if you're not going to stay caged then get out there and make yourself useful, but you two are to remain inside. _

"But," Spirit began to say when they felt a strange force compelling them to remain behind.

Shaw ran through the door and quickly found himself leaping from the ship to the hanger bay of the Other's ship. There were so many demonic robots flying everywhere it was hard for him to even see where the other X-Men where. Quickly Lilandro was in his head and linking him with the others. He may not have seen any of them with his eyes but in his mind he knew where each member was and how they were doing. In a matter of seconds he was being consumed by the enemy, growing madder and stronger with each blow.

_**Interlude**_

"Why don't we kill him already?" Adrianne Frost asked as glanced at the other three sitting with her on the deck of their small shuttle craft.

"I would think you would want to keep your grandfather alive," Shadow Nova said with sarcasm.

"After everything he did, relative or not, I have no feeling for the man," the White Queen said.

"What about you, he is your brother," Shinobi Shaw said as he looked over the flight controls and kept an eye on their pursuers.

"No, he is the brother of one of my part's past life. The three entities and the lives they lived before fusing and becoming me no longer exist. I have no feelings or connections to anyone associated to their past lives. The only thing I retained from them was power and a drive to see Xavier and all things X-Men dead," Shadow Nova said as she then turned to that last of their group in the room.

"As much as I would love to gut him, we need him alive as a bargaining chip. For if and when they catch up with us, he will be our few seconds to gain the upper hand and survive," Maximus Lobo, the new Romulus said as he knew his brother would be soon upon him.

"Last detection shows they have come to a stop, not sure why," Shinobi said as he wondered if his father would be part of the hunting parting.

"Doesn't matter, it will give us more time to pull ahead. There is a planet ahead, just past the asteroid belt, head that way. He needs to make a quick pit stop," Romulus said with a growl as he thought of their other passengers, another dead weight like Xavier and a loose cannon.

_**Containment Cells**_

"So what cha doing?" Deadpool asked as he watched the man in the wanna-be Mr. Sinister suit.

"When Essex experimented on me turning me into what I had become, I was able to learn more than his fashion sense from him before I killed him," Modifier, the depowered mutant once known as Calvin Rankin, the Mimic said as he took a few more samples from Deadpool and injected them into himself.

"You know they plan on killing the both of you. I no longer need my powers to know that," Charles Xavier, the depowered mutant and former leader of the X-Men said from inside his cell.

"You two I understand. Both powerless as well as Charles being the most hated man in the mutant world for using and abusing and keeping secrets from all his X-Men Children. But me? Why would anyone want to hurt me? Plus they are intrusting me to keep an eye on you two," Deadpool rambled as he cleaned his teeth with his knife.

"Xavier is right. They peg me dead weight and you too loose a cannon to keep around. Xavier is lucky, he'll be kept alive long enough to use as bait or a distraction when the X-Men catch up to us," Modifier said as he sat feeling the effects of the final experiment on himself.

"What are you hoping to accomplish?" Xavier asked Calvin.

"A chance to escape these idiots," Modifier said as he looked at his hands and saw sharp nails growing causing him to smile.

"How you going to do that with no powers?" Deadpool asked?

"I am the Modifier and that is what I do. If this worked, which I think it did, I will have my healing factor back and with that my modified x-gene should heal and then," Modifier started to say as he opened Xavier's cell and moved right at him.

"What are you doing?" Xavier asked as he tried to back up.

"Seeing if I'll have some back up to blow this joint," Modifier said as he slashed open Xavier's throat and stood there as he and Deadpool watched to see if Benjamin Charles Xavier lived or died.

_**X-Men – Rescue Team**_

_**Another Part of the Galaxy**_

"Where are we?" Cyclops asked as the darkness made it hard to get his bearings.

"I don't know. Last I remember is being attacked and the ship going dark, and then felt a weird sensation and waking up in pitch darkness again," Forge said from somewhere in the pitch black.

"I see you are awake," a voice snorted as suddenly the lights came on and everyone grunted in pain as their eyes had to suddenly get used to the light.

Cyclops looked forward and saw a large pig-like man standing at the foot of the doorway with several guards standing around him and in the room, also pig like in features. Cyclops saw next that he was in a dungeon-like room, his arms were bound above him as he hung from the ceiling by chains. He glanced and saw hanging from all around the room in the same fashion were, a human looking Iceman, Forge, a normal skinned, graying haired Mystique, Beast, Mona MacTaggert, smooth skinned Stacy-X, hairless Sabretooth, Banshee, normal skinned Rouge, Gambit, Queen Animala and Wingblade. He realized his brother Vulcan was nowhere to be found. He looked up at the ceiling and felt a strange pain that explained what he already feared.

"Now, now, the devices attached to each of your temples keep you from using your strange gifts. You even think about using them and instant pain. After my last dealing with your kind I learned my lesson, at the price of my son," the large pig humanoid snorted.

"Where's my brother?" Cyclops demanded.

"Oh, Gabriel is being kept in a special place here on Nnamuab," the pig-like man said with a snort.

"Master Ecurb, we have confirmed, not only do you also hold the fabled Queen Animala but also one of the endangered and all but extinct creatures from Lator," a pig-like guard said making Wingblade cringe at the fate of her people.

"Ecrub? Gabriel mentioned you, what have you done with him?" Cyclops asked in a panic.

"Once I have finished torturing him to find out where the rest of his clan is, he will then have a public execution to pay for the death of my son," Ecrub, the notorious crime boss said with snorting anger as he commanded his guards to bring Animala and Wingblade and they all left the room putting the X-Men all back into darkness.

_**Epilogue**_

"What is happening to them?" a voice asked suddenly from behind him in the midst of all the screaming.

"They have reached their early teens and all their x-genes are causing their mutations, whether physical or abilities to manifest," En Sabah Nur said as he looked back at the ten year-old girl with red hair and glasses.

"You are going to help them like you promised?" The girl asked, as her leaving with him and helping convince all the siblings to come along due to the fact this man had promised to get them away from the evil Xavier and his band of Evil Mutants so he could keep them from destroying all of them as well has help her new friends.

"I told you that they are all special and they would need my help once this day came, Moira," the mutant once known as the powerful Apocalypse said.

After the Demon storm, he had managed to swap bodies with Exodus, so that he would die in his place as he, the great Apocalypse would live on. Unfortunately, before he could regroup, gather his strength again and to restart his Horseman and check on his experiment that he had entrusted the now deceased Sinister and his discovered daughter, Mystique, he was kidnapped and brought forth before the giant Majestics with Xavier and Romulus. It appeared that the weak Xavier had actually messed with his mind but had stolen and kept a lot of secrets and great power from him. None of that mattered as he found himself stripped of his powers and made normal, from head to toe.

Apocalypse was sure he was going to die until the X-Men has won the day and once again he had survived. En Sabah Nur had also learned that Mystique was actually his daughter which made the X-Men Rouge and Nightcrawler his hears, grandchildren. He cared less about any of that, what he cared about was his experiment had worked and Mystique had given birth to eight children, all from different fathers and genetic code giving them each a potential of different abilities and power sets. If this worked and the children survived, the next step was to use his daughter to any kind of mutant he wanted with any ability he chooses. Too bad Sinister and his idea were dead as he could now continue with it and take all the credit.

Of course, he knew it would be hard to continue on with the X-Man having their hands on these special babies so he used his connection with Sinister and that he placed into the code of the babies to be able to influence them to discover where they came from and to make them think the X-Men were evil and out to kill them. It also helped to have Moira who he had convinced and used to help persuade the quickly aging babies. He now had them and was well ahead of the X-Men when the children suddenly reached thirteen and all their powers began to manifest at once. He landed on a remote planet and had found a great scientist and used his help and lab to get all eight children in status tubes. All they could do was wait. Once this process was done, those that survived would be aged to sixteen, their mutation and or mutant abilities would be fully manifested and their personalities will be ready to be influenced for good or evil. This would then give Apocalypse one year to influence the children to give themselves completely over to him and to develop a serum that they needed to keep them from dying and to advance to their final speed age of adulthood and his perfect mutant army.

"How's the serum coming doctor?" Apocalypse asked as a strange insect looking humanoid stepped into the room.

"I am doing my best. Hopefully once they have mutated I can continue further research with their new modified DNA," the doctor responded.

"And the other thing?" Apocalypse asked.

"If one of them survive with a power set similar to what we need, I can infuse it with the life form, sacrificing it to give you a new body with your abilities back," the doctor answered causing Apocalypse to glance at the oblivious Moira and smile.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**Homecoming – Part Three**

"Kurt Betsy Shamrock, Sunfire, Emerald Dragon and Purple Fury

_**Inside the Pocket World of Abyss**_

"They just won't stop coming," Sunfire said as he poured out his fire power causing Darkpires to puff into dark ash instantly at its touch.

"Well, you better keep fighting if we are to get this over with and take a much needed honeymoon," Psylocke said as she used her purple Psi-generated swords to sever the heads of any Darkpire that got close to her.

"Well, we just have to buy Kurt and his son enough time to find Cerise," Shamrock said as she used her green energy to generate a sword and shield to battle the Darkpires while Emerald Dragon did the same with his green fiery breath.

"Cerise!" Nightcrawler screamed as he ran forward following his son who became a ball of purple energy to light and guide the way.

"Kurt?" A weak voice called out.

"Cerise, where are you?" Nightcrawler asked as he vanished and reappeared all over looking for the woman he loved.

"Kurt?" Cerise asked again, barely able to speak.

"I'm right here," Nightcrawler said as he saw Cerise in a cell, vanished and reappeared inside her cell.

"Am I dreaming? Is it really you?" Cerise asked looking up into the eyes of the man she thought she would never see again.

"Yes it's me and we're getting you out of here," Nightcrawler said as he hugged her, vanished and reappeared outside the cell.

"Mom!" Purple Fury screamed as he took solid form again, but kept a slight purple glow.

"Kurt, our son," Cerise tried to talk.

"We got him back. Now save your strength, it's time to go home," Nightcrawler said as they quickly made their way back to their friends.

"You found her," Shamrock exclaimed with joy as she sent a pulsing burst of energy out of her body.

"Good to see you," Cerise said with a smile as she saw Shamrock alive and well, she felt as if this had to be a dream.

"Gather everything quickly," Abyss said as he appeared, wrapped each member of X-Calibur and then folded them into himself as he vanished and then unraveled letting everyone out inside the Med Unit of Braddock Manor.

"You guys did it," Meggan said with joy as she rushed over to hug Nightcrawler and Cerise.

"Yes, were all finally home. Now to get some rest," Nightcrawler said as he carried Cerise to a medical bed so she could be checked out and get some needed rest.

"Yes, because tomorrow is going to be a new day for X-Calibur," Betsy said as her brother nodded.

**Next: Issue #54 – The Search – Part Four & X-Calibur: New Day**


	55. The Search Part Four

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #54 – The Search – Part Four**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"Both teams have crossed out of range. I can detect if their ships are destroyed, other than that the only contact I have is sending and receiving long range messages," Lifeguard said as her brother sat staring at the screen showing the dark and starry depths of outer space.

"I just can't wait till we find and accomplish what we are here for and get back home," Slipstream said as the monitors continued to show no activity around them.

"You don't like our company?" Sage asked as she stared at her monitor and continuously watched and ran scans.

"You," Slipstream began to say and then slumped over.

"Davis?" Lifeguard called out as Sage turned around and then fell to the ground as well.

"Don't worry, they are not hurt anymore than this will," a figure said stepping into the room and then shot a cord into one of the computer drives.

_**Recreation Room**_

"Not easy being related to the most popular mutants on Earth?" Adam Neramani, the mutant also known as Adam-X or X-Treme asked as he stepped up to a girl who was sitting on the edge of the pool staring at a holo-photo of her brother Iceman and the original X-Men and one of her and her team of X-Men.

"I thought it would be a great reunion, but I just can't emotionally connect with any of my family. All I know and feel is with my friends," Barbara Drake the mutant known as Petra signed.

"I know what you mean. Even though they are my brothers and we share the same parents, since I was harvested and genetically aged by aliens, they still act like I'm a stranger. Heck, they accepted Cannonball and that clone Ruby as family aster than they do me," Adam said as he sat next to her, slightly touching her hand with his fingers.

"You two quit your whining," Avalanche said as he stared at a holographic chess board.

"I don't see why you keep playing against Sage, she always beats you and while doing a hundred other things at the same time," Colossus said with a laughed as he walked past the evil mutant turned X-Man.

"It's because he is in love," Jam'se, Scott's alien wife known as Red commented as she played with their son Je'se in the shallow end of the pool.

"Leave me alone," Avalanche grunted as he stared at the board not liking that Cyclops's wife had become familiar enough that she hung out and chatted as if she was friends with all of them.

"Something's not right," Alison Blair, the mutant once known as Dazzler but going by Spark suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Colossus asked as Mammomax and Krakoa began to look around frantically.

"Sage, are you there?" Avalanche called out when the lights suddenly went out as the emergency lights kicked in.

"Down!" Adam screamed as he hit Petra pulling her into the pool seconds before something whizzed past them, missing them barely.

"What was that?" Petra asked as they came to the surface to see everyone in the room laying unconscious except Ruby and her child who had moved up next to them and Spark who was nowhere to be seen.

"You, have you come in search of me?" Ruby asked as they saw a woman with red skin, short buzzed blue hair and armor, tech and circuitry attached all over her body.

"No, my dear sister, you are not who we seek," the woman said as she stepped aside allowing another figure to enter the room.

"It is I. Greetings, Zekk," Spark said as she dropped from the ceiling landing between the two parties.

"Yes, my dear, I have come and this time I will not leave without you," Zekk said as flexed out in his new body and launched himself at Spark and the remaining X-Men standing.

_**Deep Space – X-Men Strike Team**_

"How do you think they are doing?" Loa asked looking at Spirit, the only other member of the crew that wasn't battling the Others, well except for one other sitting in the pilot's chair.

_All are alive but it's not an easy battle. Since there are no minds to attack, I am useless out there so I know how you both are felling, _Lilandro's voice popped into both their heads.

"Well, I'm tired of sitting here. With my powers I can do more damage out there," Loa said as she ran out of the ship.

_Stop!_ Lilandro said as Spirit took a deep breath and ran out after Loa.

The two stopped for a brief moment as they stepped out of the ship and onto the docking area of the Other's ship. There were cybernetic demons swarming everywhere and they couldn't even see their fellow comrades until Lilandro was suddenly in their heads and linking them with the other X-Men. Corsair and Havok fighting back to back while Cain and Shaw bulldozed though the enemy. Wolverine, Archangel and Shirubá-Shi slicing through their prey as best as they could as Darwin and Polaris used their powers to destroy as many as they could. As well as everyone was doing, they could feel them becoming overwhelmed.

"If only there was a way to bring this ship down," Loa suggested.

_There is. Scans show a central power core towards the middle rear of the ship. If Loa could reach it, pass through it with her powers she could make this whole ship blow. _

"Sounds great, but how will she make it back to the ship in time?" Spirit asked knowing Loa didn't move at a super speed in her intangible form and even if she did, she can't hold that form for a very long time.

"It doesn't matter. If I don't do this, then we are all lost," Loa said with a gulp knowing this was her time to show she had what it took to be a hero.

_No, I will not allow it,_ came a few voices, Corsair and Wolverine's the strongest.

_It's not their decision,_ Shaw said into his granddaughter's head.

"I will go with you," Spirit said squeezing her hand.

With the guidance of Lilandro they had made it to the ship's core. Between Loa using her powers and Spirit taking his spirit form they were untouchable. Loa first passed through a machine that caused it to crumble and blow up which cut the power of the ship and turned off the tractor beam holding their ship. At this moment Lilandro was instructing the X-Men back to their ship, which made it easy since suddenly all the Others were being directed to swarm the area Loa and Spirit were in. Lilandro said they had to hurry so Loa used her powers and passed through the core and screamed.

"Are you okay?" Spirit asked as he went solid.

"Some kind of energy in the core, it actually made me feel pain when I went through it but I'm okay," Loa said as she got to her feet and saw the core crumbling in on itself and the ship shaking ready to blow.

_You guys need to go. I am not only reading critically energy from your location but all the X-Men have made it back on the ship and almost all the Others are about to crash in on your location. _

"Loa, what's wrong?" Spirit asked looking at her as the first of the swarm of Others entered the room.

"The core, did something to me. I can't become intangible. Spirit, go without me," Loa said as the core began to erupt.

_We will not leave you, _Shaw suddenly boomed in their heads.

"You have no choice," Loa said with a tear knowing she had saved everyone's lives.

"Lilandro, go now. There's no time. I will stay with her. Tell my brothers and my friends good-bye for me," Spirit said as he placed his arms around Loa.

_No! _Screamed Can Marko as Lilandro sent their ship at great speed out of the Other's ship and getting their distance before the Other's ship exploded.

"Thank you," Loa whispered to Spirit as he closed his eyes with force and held her tight just as core exploded obliterating the entire ship and every single Other on board.

_**X-Men – Rescue Team**_

_**Planet Ecrub**_

"Here is your meal," a pig like guard said walking into the room with a large tray with a bunch of slop on it.

"Like I would eat that, crap," Mystique spat in the guard's face.

"I don't care, you die," the guard said as he threw down the tray and moved at the old lady as the other two guards rushed into the cell as well.

"I wouldn't do that," both Forge and Creed said at the same time.

"Oh and why is that?" the guard said as he turned to look at the two men hanging off to the side.

"Because I'll kill you," Mystique said as her legs came up, wrapped around the guard's neck and with all the strength she had left she snapped his neck.

"Kill her," the guard by Creed said as he began to move but was surprised when a large snap went off and he turned to see Creed had brown and nearly tore off his own hands to free himself.

"I love pig," Creed growled as leapt onto the guard.

"They are," the last guard began to say when a blast hit him in the head killing him.

"A master thief is never locked up for long," Gambit smiled as he held the smoking blaster he had picked up from the guard Mystique had killed.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Cyclops spat as Creed stood up over the lifeless guard, blood dripping from his teeth.

"Calm down, daddy-o," Gambit said as he quickly freed the rest of the team from their chains.

"Okay, now to get our powers back," Forge said as he took the devise off his forehead.

"How?" Beast asked when nothing happened.

"When I came to, I hadn't been depowered. So I quickly used what I had and created a devise and placed it on my temples so when they put the band on my head and powered up it actually shorted itself out. Now I can use this and wala," Forge said as he hit a button causing the bands on all the rest of their heads to short out and allow them to pull them off.

Instantly the changes took place as all their powers flowed back. Iceman frosted over while Mystique became, young, hot and blue again. Beast remained the same as his he no longer had a physical mutation anymore as well as Mona and Banshee. Stacy-X became scaly again as Cyclops and Gambits eyes began to glow again. Rogue's skin turned blue like her mother while Creed growled as he healed and became his more Sabretooth looking form. They were all back and ready for action.

"We have to find Gabriel before he kills him," Cyclops said.

"I don't' care about your brother. I need to find N'Lea," Creed growled as he sniffed the air and got her scent.

"We can't waste our time on your newest mate. We need to get out of this place and find my babies," Mystique said as she picked up a blaster from another guard and looked it over.

"Sorry, I agree with Creed. They may not be X-Men but Wingblade and Animala have proven themselves to this team and we cannot leave them behind," Beast said as he had truly developed feelings for the green haired cat-like alien queen.

"Then we split up. A team will recover our missing teammates while the other goes and rescues my brother," Cyclops declared.

"I plan on finding a ride off this planet," Mystique said staring at everyone.

"I will go with her and make sure we find a way off for all of us," Rogue said.

"If we be stealing a ride then you will need my help," Gambit said with a wink as the three took off out of the room shortly followed by Forge who said it was to help with the ship if they found one, but he knew what it was really about.

"Banshee, go with Beast and Creed. Mona and Stacy-X will go with me and Bobby," Cyclops said as they split and went their separate ways.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**New Day**

_**Braddock Manor – Home and Headquarters to X-Calibur**_

"No way is she allowed to stay here," Betsey the mutant known as Psylocke said slamming her fist down on her desk.

"She is Kurt's daughter," Brian the mutant known as Captain Britain responded back, looking at his sister.

"She arranged the kidnapping of an X-Calibur member as well as helping the bad guy invade our home and try and take over our Country. How can you let her stay here?" Betsy asked getting angrier.

"She's a girl from another time who had trouble dealing with the loss and complications of her parents. She hasn't even raised a fuss about the magic cell constructed for her in the mansion," Brian said referring to a cell that looked like a normal bedroom but was magically sealed thanks to Amanda.

"Yeah, looking the other way always does family good in the end," Betsy said lowering her voice.

"Leave Jamie out of this," Brian began to say getting angry when a knock on the door caused them both to go quiet.

"Hey, hate to interrupt but everyone has gathered in the conference room," Kitty Pride the mutant known as Shadowcat said popping her head through the door.

"We're coming," Betsy said as she headed for the door where Kitty's head slid back out from it.

"Betsy," Brian called after but she was long gone.

_**Conference Room**_

"Boy, does this team always go through this many reconstruction of the team meetings?" Yuriko whispered to Benedict just as the Braddock siblings walked into the room.

"Sorry to hold everyone up but we had some things to discuss," Psylocke said as she and her brother took their seats.

"I know it's about Margali but there is good in her," Kurt pleaded right away.

"It's true, we've come from such a hard life," Curtis added feeling the guilt of always defending his half-sister no matter watch she does.

"Before I say anything, Cerise?" Brian asked looking at the woman who had been abducted.

"I can't forget what she did, but I understand where she is coming from and for Kurt's sake, I can forgive," was all Cerise would say.

"I don't think it is wise but its Brian's team and he has to deal with the consequences," Betsy said.

"Betsey, don't be that way. This is not just my team," Brian said looking at his sister.

"Now wait a minute, Betsy you of all people have no room to talk," Kurt said getting angry as Yuriko began to stand to defend her best friend.

"Enough!" Sunfire suddenly shouted causing everyone to hush up and then nodded to his wife.

"This is a mute point really. Yes, Brian this is your team and I had only took it over in your memory but now that you are back I am leaving," Betsy declared.

"Betsy," Brian began feeling hurt.

"No, this had nothing to do with Kurt's kids. I just got married and me and my husband are due for a honeymoon and little vacation. Shiro's sister was supposed to come here and visit but she got held up so instead she is going to meet us back in Japan were we will spend our honeymoon," Betsy declared.

"You will come back?" Meggan asked looking over to Betsy asking a different question than what she was thinking.

"We need some time away, but yet we will come back to visit you and Drake," Betsy said with a smile answering the true question and making Meggan beam with joy.

"Thank you," Meggan clapped as Brian smiled at his sister as well.

"Don't worry I trust you, plus Yukio will be here to keep an eye out," Betsy said as she and Sunfire got to their feet.

"You're leaving now?" Brian asked as his sister nodded, said her good-byes and she and her husband left the room.

"Let it go, she'll be back," Meggan said placing a hand on his shoulder as she picked up Drake and went to say one more good-bye to her sister-in-law since she was not returning as an active member of the team.

"You okay, Brian?" Kitty asked looking over and her friend.

"I am fine. Now, back to business, X-Calibur, I am still sticking with the magical number that Roma gave me in the beginning, ten active members. I need to determine everyone's intentions. Of course Meggan will remain non-active to care for Drake," Brian said getting the meeting back on track and pushing thoughts of his sister to the back of his mind.

"Pete has left to return to MI-13 but if it's okay, I am ready to return to active duty," Rachel said knowing she will never get over the death of her son, but being a part of this team will help as a distraction.

"Of course Rachael, were happy to have you back," Kitty said with a smile and was glad to see she got one back.

"We have, myself, Rachael, Kitty and Yukio down as confirmed members. What about the rest of you?" Brian asked looking around the table at the others seated.

"Amanda has left to tend to matters with her Limbo and the White Coven she is part of now, but has agreed to an active role in watching out for and communicating with our daughter to help her heal," Kurt said as he thought of his daughter in her "cell".

"Kurt, I already said she could stay here but even though she can't be a full member of this team yet, you are still wanted on this team," Brian said.

"I know Amanda put some magical safeguards and Lockheed will be keeping an eye out magically as well, but I think my time will be better served taking a non-active role with this team and remain at the mansion working on my relationship with Margali," Kurt said with a heavy sigh that they all felt.

"And I will be leaving as to not add a reminder of her hate of what happened on her world. My son will be coming with me so I can show him where he came from and help train him better in his abilities," Cerise said as Kurt hated for his son to go but he knew he needed to bond with his mom as much as Margali had to with him, plus he knew deep down after what just happened he needed space form his sister for awhile.

"But if you need us we will be easily reachable," Purple Fury said excited not only to be with his mom again but a chance to go into space.

"I wish you the best," Kitty said giving Cerise a hug before she, Curtis and Kurt left the room to have their private good-byes.

"I am remaining on the team," was all Cat said and refusing to acknowledge her mom's smile.

"We are happy to have you as well and glad to officially welcome Molly back to the team," Brian said as everyone clapped for Shamrock.

"I have also agreed to stay if you will have me," Emerald Dragon said as he squeezed Yukio's hand under the table.

"If it's okay, I will like to take my brother's place on your team. Not only do I want a chance to prove myself but with the secondary mutation due to what happened to me you would have a teleporter of sorts as well back on the team," Nils Styger, the mutant known as Abyss spoke up.

"Your brother's already spoken on your behalf and we had already planned on it," Kitty said with a smile as Brian nodded in agreement.

"What about the last two spots, there is no one left?" Shamrock asked as she only counted eight of them in the room.

"Actually, I anticipated we would be at least one down so on a recommendation of my friend Sabra, I would like to introduce to you all and welcome Navid Hashim codename Seraph to the team," Brian said as they all turned to see a figure walking into the room.

The man was wearing the X-Calibur inspired outfit of black boots, gloves and belt with the sword through an X on it. He didn't wear the jacket as they had all recently vetoed that wardrobe choice. His pants, sleeves and the neck part of his mask were black as well. He wore silver armband that matched the silver torso part of his outfit and silver mask that covered his face from the nose up leaving is black, wavy shoulder length hair and his mouth with thin goatee exposed. The symbol in the middle of his chest was a strange red energy blast pattern. He looked to be about Cat's age. Everyone greeted him as he nodded. Rachel and Kitty glanced at Brian realizing he knew more about this new member and he would fess up later.

"What about the tenth spot?" Rachel asked.

"I wasn't going to allow this but since we do have an open spot, welcome back to the team, Micromaxx," Captain Britain said as they all turned to see their teammate that had died during Demon Storm walk in wearing the same costume he had originally worn except for the black boots, gloves and X-Calibur belt.

**Next: Issue #55 – The Search – Part Five & X-Calibur: Court of Oz – Part One**

_**Authors Note: Check out Avengers Inc: The Doominators Issue 1 posted now. Out of the pages of Avengers Inc and introduced in Avengers Inc #7, The Doominators is a mini-series that not only serves as an origin of Dr. Doom's newly created team of villains from heroes but serves as a prologue to my title wide crossover happening next year: THE ACTS OF DOOM. Check it out and enjoy!**_


	56. The Search Part Five

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #55 – The Search – Part Five**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

_**Recreation Room**_

"Lor'nda, how could you?" Jam'se, Scott's wife known as Red asked as she held her son close and stared at her younger sister.

"Because I gave her the upgrades to be something great and not hide in your shadow," Zekk said as he held his arm gun up watching the five life forms in front of him, standing in the pool.

"Zekk, why are you doing this?" Spark asked as she watched the bounty hunter and his newest Hunter.

"You were mine. I found you and fixed you, but there was more to our bond then just an assimilated Hunter. Together we sought out the greatest bounty, the Gifted Six, Darwin, Petra, Vulcan, Spirit, Sway and Océana. All was fine until I met the group called X-Men, Tessa-1, Forge, Mystique, Polaris, Blob, Banshee and Avalanche.

"Not only did this group take my Spark away from me and leave me for dead, they freed my bounty which has never happened to me. So I sought out my bounty and the X-Men responsible to come across a few more X-Men, Slipstream, Iceman, Magnus and Stacy X who helped Avalanche to destroy me and my new Hunters.

"After that it became personal. Every single one of those X-Men were entered into my data list and marked for kill along with the Gifted Six. I vowed not to rest till they were all dead and started a new plan until a few of those X-Men along with a few new ones, Krakoa, Longshot, Mammomax, Queen Animala, Juggernaut, Wingblade and you Red ruined my plan and left me for dead buried in the ground.

"I added you Red and those new ones into my data list and made it my mission to kill you all. I escaped and reconstructed a new body and when I discovered your envious sister, I assimilated her. Now I am here to kill those marked so I can finally have my revenge," Zekk said.

"You don't have to kill anyone," Adam-X said as he moved to keep Petra behind him.

"Don't worry, I am not killing anyone at this moment. Once I collect all my bounty I will assimilate the worthy and kill the rest. Spark, if you surrender yourself to me now those not on my kill list will be aloud to live. We just disabled the ship and its crew on the bridge. Don't worry all of them are unharmed, except Slipstream who has been contained and used to help me reach your Earth to get those that made it back there," Zekk said as Lor'nda turned and they all saw a devise on her back with several small cells, one containing what looked like small figure made of energy.

"How?" Red started to ask and went silent as her sister pointed a cannon attached to her right hand and fired a blast that hit her, Petra, Avalanche, Krakoa and Mammomax causing a huge red light as it was converting them all into energy and then placing them each into a cell on Lor'nda's back.

"What?" Zekk and Spark both questioned when the light faded they saw that Petra and Red had not been captured as they stood, with Adam-X and Je'se inside a red bubble of energy that seemed to be generating from the infant.

"Seems like your kid's got some power," Adam said as he saw the baby laughing while his eyes glowed red.

"Sister, please," Red pleaded at her sister as she stared from her to her power welding child.

"Enough surrender or I kill them," Zekk said as he held a devise up in his other hand that instantly projected a blue dot on Colossus, Adam's and baby Je'se's foreheads.

"You think that shield will protect us from that?" Adam asked as the lighted dot remained on his forehead no matter where he moved.

_**Deep Space – X-Men Strike Team**_

"Any sign of them?" Shaw demanded as Wolverine and Havok warned the former Black King not to move.

"I am trying," Lilandro said as he scanned with his mind while Corsair scanned with the ship's scanners.

"They can't be dead. I haven't gotten a chance to really know my lil' bro," Cain said trying to hide his tears.

"They sacrificed their lives to completely wipe out the Others and their ship. Because of them we are alive and free to continue our search. They are heroes," Archangel said as he looked at the man who had lost a brother and the man who had lost a granddaughter.

"Wait, I think I am getting something, but it's not coming from our plain," Lilandro said suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" Darwin asked as he worried about his friend, Spirit.

"It seems my theory is correct. Spirit's powers are more mental like me and my father's. I think he's somehow pulled himself into the Astral World," Lilandro answered.

"He's alive?" Cain asked.

"I think so, and I sense something else, it could be Loa," Lilandro said as he stared off into space rubbing his temple with his fingers.

"I don't get it, start explaining," Shaw growled.

"See, those with great mental abilities can leave their body behind and project and travel with their mental or astral form. Those even more skilled and send their astral form into the Astral World, which can be dangerous. What I suspect that when Spirit goes ghostly he is actually, somehow, placing his physical body into the Astral World and giving his astral form dominance in our world. If I am correct, I think before the explosion he may have managed to mentally rip open a gate to the Astral World and pull both him and Loa completely into there, body and all," Lilandro said.

"Can they come back?" Polaris asked.

"I don't know. I sense fear and something else," Lilandro said as he kept looking off in the distance.

"I've been around Chuck enough to know we can go there. You have that kind of power?" Wolverine asked.

"Yes, but it could be dangerous and I can only send a few. The other will need to stay here and guard the ship and our bodies," Lilandro said.

"I'm going," Shaw and Cain said at the same time.

"Fine, you two and I believe the other best candidates would be Wolverine and Darwin," Lilandro said.

"I," Wolverine began to say when his daughter finally spoke.

"I will watch over your bodies," Shirubá-Shi stated with no emotion.

"And I will watch her," Archangel whispered as he walked past Logan.

"So be it," Lilandro said as he finally was able to let loose his power and reach out to the four minds causing Corsair and the others jumped to catch and lay down Shaw, Cain, Wolverine, Darwin and Lilandro's bodies as they suddenly closed their eyes and collapsed into a deep sleep-like state.

_WOW,_ Cain thought as he looked around at the strange spirit looking forms of his teammates and the strange dark space-like world they now floated in.

_We are in the Astral World and can hear each others thoughts. Even though we don't have our physical bodies we can still move and interact here but its all in the use of our minds. Be warned, any severe pain or even death here can result in damage to your brain back in our world or even cause you to become a vegetable or even death, _Lilandro said as he demonstrated by closing his eyes thinking and was soon wearing a psychic Shi'ar looking body armor.

_I got it, _Cain said as he closed his eyes and was suddenly wearing a psychic form of his Juggernaut armor, helmet and all.

_Let's get searching_ Wolverine thought as psychic claws projected out of his knuckles and began to float onwards with the rest soon following.

_**X-Men – Rescue Team**_

_**Planet Ecrub**_

"I can smell them," Creed growled as he moved quickly trough the dungeon tunnels.

"I don't know how he can smell anything but pig slop," Banshee said as he ran trying to keep up with Creed who was now looking like a phase between full best and human.

"Believe it or not I can almost smell or sense them as well," Beast said as he ran as fast as he can, almost missing his faster beast form but glad to be looking human again.

As they ran Sean noticed that Beast was gaining speed and distance on him. As Sean watched he could swear that Henry's feet and legs were adapting and changing. They almost looked animal like. Shortly after, Henry leaned forward and no sooner had his hands touched the ground they shifted and now looked like Cheetah feet. Sean realized that beast was oblivious to the change and was suddenly catching up to Creed and preparing to pass him up with great speed. It was apparent that with everything that Beast had been through, the Island, Queen Animala and then the Celestia and the Totem that Henry's mutation had altered to its true potential to adapt and devolve into animal characteristics to survive.

"Guys wait up," Sean mumbled as the two had gone out of site and around a corner.

"About time, they're in there," Beast said as Sean came around the corner to see Beast's chest shifting from what looked like a porcupine's body back to normal as several pig guards were laying on the ground with quills sticking out of them.

"Grrr," Creed growled as he stepped over several pig guards, their blood dripping form his claws and fangs, and smashed through a door that lead into the dungeon.

_**Elsewhere**_

"I really appreciate you boys taking me to the prisoner," Stacy X said as she liked her lips and kept touching the backs of the two pig guard's necks using her mutant pheromone touch to get them to do what she wanted.

"I can't believe that is working," Mona, Moira MacTaggert's sister said watching from a distance with Cyclopes and Iceman.

"Yes, she amazing," Bobby said with a smile.

"Are you sure she's not using her powers on you?" Cyclopes teased but deep down really didn't like the scaly skinned mutant.

"She's not, and now with my body in full ice mode, it appears her powers have no effect on me," Bobby said getting defensive.

"He's in there but this door is secured and only Master Ecrub can gain access into this room," one of the guards said.

"Move, now," Cyclopes said as he, thanks to his wife he didn't need to wear special glasses any more, looked at the guard, called on his power and sent a blast that hit the guard and knocked him out.

"Nice," Stacy X said as she moved past the second guard who was now completely incased in ice.

"Okay, my turn," Mona said as they all grabbed hands, and with a little concentration, teleported them into the room on the other side of the door.

"Gabriel!" Cyclopes screamed as he saw his brother, hanging from chains high above the ground, bruised, beaten and bleeding while a strange glowing devise pulsed around his head.

"Not much to this place," Iceman said as he looked around the empty room.

"I was wondering when you all would arrive," Ecrub, the master crime boss of Nnamuab said stepping out of the shadows with a snort.

"I thought this was too easy," Stacy X mumbled as the rescue team gathered tight together as dozens of pig guards, holding weapons pointed at them, steeped out surrounding them all.

"You think I don't see and know all that transpires in my home?" Ecrub asked with a squeal.

"You made a mistake taking my brother," Cyclops said as his eyes began to glow red.

"Your brother killed my son. It's only fair I return the favor," Ecrub snorted.

"Over my dead body," Cyclops challenged.

"Oh, that was a give in," Ecrub said as he snapped his fingers and his guards opened fire upon the mutants.

_**Large Bay Area Elsewhere**_

"Jackpot," Mystique said as she, Rouge, Gambit and Forge rounded a corner and found a large area housing tons of vehicles and starships.

"Great, let's find and secure one of these ships and be ready for the others," Forge said.

"I'm not waiting for anyone. I am going now with or without any of you," Mystique said as she quickly walked to a ship.

"Mom, you can't just leave without us," Rogue said wishing she hadn't used the title but the memory of her real life of her and Irene tugged at this connection more than she desired.

"Let her go I say," Gambit said as Rogue glared at him.

"Raven, we should really stick together. Who knows what's out there," Forge said at the woman who was now standing still.

"Mom?" Rogue asked as Mystique continued to stand in place but not turn around.

"Sorry, but it seams she's a bit stuck at the moment," a voice said as Mystique finally fell backwards, a spear sticking out of her chest.

"No!" Forge shouted as he watched Rogue instantly by her side, catching Raven and holding her in her lap.

"You shouldn't have done that," Gambit said as he held out his hand causing his staff to extend out and ready for battle.

"It's done, and I, Iril sister of Dref, will avenge his death by killing you all," the female dog-like warrior said as she leapt off the ship above them with a howl that ignited a loud barking sound as hundreds of dog-like soldiers raced at the mutants waving swords and spears.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**Court of Oz – Part One**

_**Braddock Manor – Home and Headquarters to X-Calibur**_

"I still can't get over the fact Scott is alive," Rachel said as she and Kitty drank their coffee in the kitchen.

"Well, it's not really him and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with it on the team," Kitty said as she glanced out the window at the thing with Scott's face walking among the garden with Brian.

"At least he isn't a rude pig like the real Micromax and he spells his name with two X's," Rachel said as she starred out the window as well wishing she still had her telepathy so she could see if a clone could have it's mind read.

After the initial shock of their meeting a few days ago, Brian had explained to them about Scott Wright. MI-13, under Pete Wisdom's command, had started dabbling in cloning and trying to create Life Model Decoys, similar to the ones Nick Fury had always seemed to have. Unfortunately, they were having zero successes until Scott Wright had volunteered himself and his DNA to MI-13 when they decided to revive the project again. After several failed attempts they had successfully created a clone/LMD and it survived and was truly alive. Unfortunately, not long after this Scott had been helping X-Calibur ad had died in the Demon Storm taking his DNA and any chance of creating another LMD with him. MI-13 tried with the clone's DNA and with others and had no success so they scrapped the project. The Scott Wright LMD knows he is not the real Scott but wants a chance to honor the name, so Pete asked Brian and agreed to let him on the team and outside X-Calibur people will think Micromaxx is Scott's twin brother Sam Wright.

"Speaking of the other recruit, Seraph. What's up with him?" Kitty asked with a smirk.

"I know, hot right?" Rachel responded as they both laughed and it felt so good to do that again.

"I've tried getting Brian to spill the beans but all he said this guy is vouched by Sabra and wants a chance to prove himself as a hero," Kitty said as they both felt there was something more that wasn't being revealed.

"What's his power?" Rachel asked.

"From what I've seen so far is that he can fly, is very durable, not sure if it's him or the suit he wears and his a very skilled and trained fighter. Guess we'll learn more in time," Kitty answered wondering what was really up with this guy as she was taken back when she looked out the window and saw down the path was Seraph talking with a smiling Cat and Shamrock.

"Still bothers you that she still relates more to Molly? Rachel asked as she glanced at what had taken her friend's attention.

"In her future, Cat was in love with Molly's son and now she carries her son's powers within her so it gives Cat a way to still feel connected to him. I hate it, but I understand," Kitty said looking at the girl who was near her age but was actually her daughter from the future.

"Don't worry, she'll come around. In the mean time, be glad she is here," Rachel said as Kitty grabbed her hand and squeezed.

"Your right, let's go," Kitty said as she grabbed her friend's hand and phased them through the wall and down to the garden.

"Hey you two!" Holly cheered as she ran over and hugged the two new comers.

"What you guys up to?" Kitty asked as she looked at her daughter.

"Nothing really," Cat said losing the smile.

"How you liking the team, Navid?" Rachel asked as she stared at the man with the sexy eyes and goatee.

"A little strange and a lot to get used to, but I think I'm going to like it here," Navid said as Kitty swore she saw him glance towards her daughter when he said it.

"What do you call this?" Sam Wright asked as he held up a strange ruby red gem with emerald specks in side it.

"Where did you find that?" Shamrock asked as he reached out and touched the gem causing it to explode in a huge flash of ruby and emerald light engulfing the six members of X-Calibur in what seemed like a massive cyclone of wind and light.

"Hey, I saw you guys were out here can I join you?" Nils began to ask as he came around the corner and froze in a dead stop as he saw the garden was vacant and a strange green and red tornado fade back up into the clouds above.

**Next: Issue #56 – The Search – Part Six & X-Calibur: Court of Oz – Part Two**


	57. The Search Part Six

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #56 – The Search – Part Six**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

_**Recreation Room**_

"Surrender," Zekk demanded one final time.

"Never," Spark said as Zekk hit a device on his left arm control panel.

I strange blue laser shot out and split into several smaller beams. Red, Petra and Adam-X closed their eyes and cringed as the beams heading for them and the blue dots on their heads hit the energy field created by Je'se and lit up like Christmas. Adam signed with relief as the shield protected them by stopping, absorbing and converting the blue lasers into added enforcement to itself. Red kissed her son's forehead has Adam found Barbara slipping her hand into his. They were safe and well protected from the psychotic bounty hunter.

"Looks like you failed," Adam called out.

"Did I?" Zekk asked without any emotion tied to it.

"Piotr!" Spark screamed as for the first time since she had been simulated that her emotions were truly returning to her when she turned as saw Colossus lying on the ground with a large creator in his metal head where the blue dot had been before.

"Don't worry, he's not dead, as long as he doesn't revert back to his flesh form and bleeds out," Zekk said.

Spark stared at the two and then began to glow bright with light and then thrust her arms out sending two sharp blades of light that pierced, cut and exposed the flesh of the two and then turned to Adam, "light 'em up!"

"On it," Adam said as he called on his powers and electrical energy charged in the air as, igniting in the cuts and then spreading into the body, Zekk and Lor'nda dropped to the ground convulsing as they were electrocuted.

"Sister, no, you'll kill her," Red cried causing Adam to stop.

"We must go. If you want to see any of your friends alive or a cure for your metal friend, surrender Spark, Petra and Red to these coordinates. You have till this time tomorrow," Zekk said trying to recover as he threw a data pad down and then hit a button causing him, Lor'nda and those captured in the device on her back to vanish.

"Where'd they go?" Adam asked looking to Spark who was already running to Colossus.

"Is he?" Petra asked in fear.

"No, his life signs are strong," Lifeguard's voice suddenly came to life.

"What do we do?" Red asked as she held her son and Adam picked up the data pad.

"I have to," Spark begins to say when a figure rushed into the room.

"No, we will go to those coordinates, but not to give you up but to get our friends back and put that bounty hunter down once and for all," Sage said as she looked at the small group in the room.

_**Deep Space – X-Men Strike Team**_

_**Astral Plane**_

_This is so strange_, Cain said as he, Shaw, Wolverine, Darwin and Lilandro continued to float forward in the Astral Plane.

_Look, over there, _Darwin said as three forms backed against a wall of sorts with two other forms approaching them.

_That's Spirit and Loa but not sure who the girl is with them or the two attacking them _Shaw added.

_The girl looks like Gaia, but she was killed when she merged with Cassandra Nova and Shadow King when they became Shadownova, _Wolverine said as they the got closer and then stopped when the figures all stopped and looked their way.

_Well, isn't that a treat. _The large black glob-like astral form said turning with a smile.

_How can that be? But if that is Gaia then it only makes sense that would be Shadow King and Cassandra Nova,_ Wolverine gasped.

_Still as brilliant as ever, Logan, _Cassandra said with a laugh.

_What's going on? _Shaw asked as Gaia, Spirit and Loa took the opportunity to dash and join up with the Wolverine and the others.

_Somehow Modifier got his powers back and freed Xavier and with Deadpool's help they attacked the rest of us. We were hit first by Modifier. Our powers went Omega Level and then we died, _Gaia sighed.

_Yes, but during that brief period of Omega Power, our minds split back into three. Unfortunately, when the body burned out and died our astral forms were thrown here and trapped. _Cassandra Nova explained.

_But, with this one's powers, he can take us back to the physical world _Shadow King added.

"My powers don't work that way. I don't even know how we gothere,"Spirit said nervously.

_Actually, they kind of do, Spirit. When you turn to your spirit form, you are trading placed with your astral form. Most leave their bodies behind but you can store yours safely away and in turn it appears you can open the mental doorway to the Astral Plane and pull yourself and others completely into it. _Lilandro explained.

"Then that explains why you and I look real and they look all ghostly," Loa added.

_I can sense Xavier _Cain said as Lilandro nodded to his step-uncle.

_Then have Spirit send us to him and we can get him _Wolverine demanded.

_Won't work, as is the reason these two's battle is useless as well. We don't have physical bodies for him to transport. If he took us, he would take our Astral Forms and plant them into the physical world. We would literally become spirits and be severed from our physical bodies. If we didn't find a way back to our bodies in time, they would die causing us to be forever trapped as ghosts if we didn't cross over, _Lilandro said.

_Good thing you all came her then. We can kill you here and take over your bodies back in the real world_ Shadow Kind said as they all new between him and Cassandra they could do that.

_Here's the plan, we hold off and take these two out while Spirit and Loa go into the physical world, find Xavier and bring him back here so we can bring him back to our ship, _Wolverine said barking out orders.

"I can't do it," Spirit said feeling nervous.

_You can do it little bro_, Cain said with a thumbs up.

_Don't worry, I will mentally guide you the whole way, _Lilandro reassured him.

"And I'll be there with you," Loa said as Spirit nodded and with help from Lilandro grabbed Loa and they both vanished as the rest of the X-Men engaged Shadow King and Cassandra Nova.

_**X-Men – Rescue Team**_

_**Planet Nnamuab**_

_**Large Bay Area within Ecurb's Domain**_

"Is she?" Forge asked but unable to say the final word as he fired off shot after shot at the dog warriors causing them to hit the ground twitching with every electrified hit.

"No, being a shape shifter she moved her vital organs but she will need time to heal," Rogue said as she held her mother close.

"Well, I don't know about you, but this burnt dog hair is getting to me," Gambit chuckled as he flipped back and forth sending warrior after warrior flying backwards with a kinetic blast from his staff or exploding force from a charged card he had thrown.

"You will all die," Iril said as she came right at Rogue and her mother.

"We didn't kill your brother. He died when he joined in league with Ecurb and the bounty hunter Zekk," Mystique spat out.

"You were his enemy," Iril said as she brought her sword down on Rogue.

"He was used by Zekk and came attacking our people," Forge said as he turned and shot the woman in the back sending her falling off to the side of her intended targets.

"It will take more than your weapons to put me down," Iril said, staggering to her feet and raising her sword again.

"Enough, Ecurb is dead and so is your alliance and safe passage here," a voice said as an energy blast hit Iril in the wrist making her drop her sword.

"Father," Gambit teased as he saw Cyclops, carrying Vulcan, step into the hangar bay along with all the others of the Search Team, including Banshee and his group with those they recued.

"Lies, no one has gone up against the great crime lord and survived," Iril said in a pant.

"He's dead," Creed frowned as he swung his arm and the head of Ecurb landed next to the female dog warrior.

"It can't be," Iril said as she looked down and then back up as all the warriors she brought with her quickly made their retreat.

"We tried to stop him but when Sean and his group came upon us and he grabbed Wingblade and threatened to kill her that was it," Cyclops said with a small hint of remorse.

"It's over. The war between us and you are over," Forge said as he stepped towards the female warrior and raised his gun.

"It will never be over until I am dead," Iril declared as she raised her head high.

"Stop, don't kill her," the only remaining dog warrior said stepping out of the shadows.

"Why should I listen to you?" Forge asked the warrior.

"Because, I am your daughter and she can lead us to the others," the warrior said as he touched a devise on his belt that deactivated an image inducer causing the dog warrior to be replaced by a teenaged girl with long black braided hair, facial bone structure just like Forge's and yellow eyes like Mystique.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**Court of Oz – Part Two**

_**Elsewhere**_

"What just happened?" Shadowcat asked as she rubbed her head as sat up.

Last thing Kitty remembered was standing in the garden area with Rachel, her daughter Piotra, Molly and the new guy Seraph, when the clone of Scott Wright, Sam walked over and picked something up from the ground. Then she had felt a big gust of wind and maybe red and green colors and then here she was, but where was here? Kitty looked around and saw she was sitting in a big pile of ruble. She got to her feet and saw that the ruble she was in was the remains of a small cottage-like house made of mud and sticks. The smell was awful, she didn't know if it came from the cottage or the air of the smog dark sky around her.

"Where am I?" Kitty asked out loud as it was clear she wasn't in London anymore and standing in a dark, smelly run down village out of a Tim Burton movie.

"You're in Munchkin Land," a voice whispered from behind her.

"Who said that?" Kitty asked.

"Shh, before they hear you. Follow me," the voice said as she suddenly saw something small and fury scamper into a large grove of weeds and dying trees.

Kitty quickly followed after taking one quick glance around to see if there were any signs of her friends and coming up empty. As she ducked into the weeds and trees she found a small area dug deep into the ground. She pushed past the weeds and slid down into the hole and soon found herself in a very small living area. With her large form there was barely enough room for anyone or thing. She looked over and saw a creature that looked like that creature from that movie she saw, Gizmo or something like that. The thing turned and looked right at her with its glowing yellow-orange eyes.

"We will be much safer down here. Names, Totorinopholis, but you can call me Toto for short," the creature said with a small grin.

"You were saying before, what is Munchkin Land?" Shadowcat asked as she still tried to get her bearings.

"Munchkin Land is the home of the Munch. They are a race of goblins that love the taste of flesh. The more live and squirmy the better it tastes. The Munch roam most of the land around here but they are primarily concentrated here in their home village of Dorothea and never venture past their boarders without the permission of their Goblin Queen," Toto explained.

"Wait, boarders, Queen, I have so many questions my head is spinning," Kitty said scratching her head.

"Yes, Munchkin Land is just one four lands that boarder around the great Emerald City, the capital of OZ," Toto said.

"Um, are you telling me I am in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz?" Kitty asked on the verge of laughter.

"You are in the land of OZ, but I wouldn't call it or the man ruling OZ wonderful," Toto growled.

"Oh, now this is getting bizarre. You're saying the story book by Baum is real?" Kitty asked.

"You know of the great lost Wizard Baum? He was wonderful indeed, unlike his twin brother," Toto said.

"Yes, Baum was a writer back in my world that wrote stories about the Land of Oz," Kitty answered.

"Then he is alive! There is hope yet," Toto squealed with joy.

"Um, no, he like died long before I was born, but his stories live on. I'm sorry, I just wish I could make sense of all this," Kitty said no very confused.

"Let me start at the beginning. It was said two great Wizards arrived on this land, the Wizard Baum and the Wizard Lfrank. They both had great power, one of emerald and one of ruby. It is said that not long after they had met a woman named Ozma whose beauty was greater than both emerald and ruby. Both Wizard fell in love with her and decided to build a kingdom in her honor. They called this country OZ and then the Wizard Baum used his emerald gifts and built the great Emerald City in the center of the land. Which is where they all ruled with peace until the Wizard Lfrank grew greedy and jealous of the love Ozma showed towards his brother.

"Lfrank and Baum battled and waged war and in the end Baum vanished. Some say he escaped to one day come back to free the lands while many said he was killed by his brother. Ozma was torn with grief but soon succumbed to Lfrank and they married. She soon gave birth to five children, a boy and four girls. Some believed Baum to be the father as some of the names given the children were that of what she and Baum had talked about as if he knew she was already with children. It wasn't long after the children got older that Ozma died and were left to be raised under the evil Wizard Lfrank.

"It wasn't long before the Wizard and his children conquered all of OZ and divided the land. Glinda was given the land to the below of the Emerald City, Elphaba was given the land to the right, Nessarose was given rule of Munchkin Land, as her deformity and green skin made her the perfect Goblin Queen, Locasta was given the land above while Zoroaster, their son ruled over the Emerald City and all of OZ and his sisters when their father mysteriously died and we have been surviving ever since awaiting the return of our savior to set us free," Toto said as he started to eye her suspiciously.

"Oh, and I assume that would be me?" Kitty began to ask when she heard a very loud scream.

"Oh dear," Toto yelped.

"Who is that?" Shadowcat asked preparing to go into rescue mode.

"That would be Elphaba I'm afraid," Toto said.

"The Wicked Witch of the West?" Kitty asked.

"Oh, Elphaba is far from wicked and she rules the land of the east, you must have hit your head in your fall to have your directions mixed up. Anyway, Elphaba is the only sibling to believe in the good of the beast and freedom of all. She has worked to help stop her siblings but I'm afraid she was captured and being tortured while they wait for the Goblin Queen to return," Toto sighed.

"Then we must go save her," Shadowcat said.

"Oh no, there's no way. Even if we could, there is no way we could survive and get out of here before the Munch devoured us all," Toto said.

"Trust me, I got some tricks," Shadowcat said as she crabbed his paw and to Toto's surprise, the floated up and through the ground like ghosts.

"What manor of magic is this? It's true, you are the savior from the land beyond come to free us," Toto said once they reached the ground above and went solid.

"I don't know about savior but I will do my best to help you," Shadowcat said as they quickly moved to a large dwelling where the screams could be heard.

They quickly phased and were down below in a dungeon area where a woman with beautiful green skin and long dark hair was tied to a rack and being whipped by three ugly goblin creatures. Shadowcat told Toto to stay hidden as she moved quickly across the room and towards the trapped woman. The three Munch all laughed as they raised their whips high to strike the woman in triplicate.

"What?" One of the Munch questioned as the whips stuck Elphaba but instead of causing pain seemed to go right through her.

"Don't worry, I got you," Shadowcat said as she, with her hand on the green witches arm, phased her right through her bondages and to freedom behind the rack.

"What manor of Witch are you?" Elphaba asked through the pain and coughing.

"I'm not a witch, I'm a mutant and I'm here to save you along with my little friend, Toto too," Kitty said as she began to move towards Toto.

"Look, she's escaping," one of the Munch exclaimed.

"She's not going anywhere. Bring my sister to me, as for the rodent and the girl, they are yours to feast on so declares the Queen of Munchkin Land," shouted a green skinned and deformed woman as hoards of Munches poured in around her and headed right for Shadowcat.

**Next: Issue #57 – The Search – Part Seven & X-Calibur: Court of Oz – Part Three**


	58. The Search Part Seven

**Sensational X-Men**

**Issue #57 – The Search – Part Seven**

_**Starship Lifeguard**_

"Was it wise to leave our position, in case the others return?" Lifeguard's voice sounded form all over the bridge.

"More dangerous to loose your brother and a sure way back home, don't you think?" Sage asked back as she easily worked the controls and bypassing anything Lifeguard tried to do.

"I think it's because someone is concerned about a certain earth moving guy," Adam, the mutant who has always been called everything from X-Treme, Adam-X or even Adam Neramani but never the one thing he's always wanted, a Summers.

"One push of a button and I can give you a nice send off into space," Sage spat as she kept her eyes focused on the monitors.

"I swore I saw her smile, even if it was only for a blink of an eye," Barbara Drake, the mutant known as Petra whispered as she walked up behind Adam and hugged him from behind.

A lot has changed for Barbara. Discovering she had a family, a brother who was one of the original X-Men, she was a part of a second wave of X-Men made up of the original's siblings who were all _killed_ and had it covered up by one man. All of that, of course is from stories she's been told or she's read and watched. Thanks to Xavier and the trauma they went through, she and her _team_ have been wiped of those memories. All she remembers is waking up in a strange place, not knowing who she was or where she came from. Even what they went through or feelings that any of them had developed seem but a dream or don't matter, especially since one of them was dead and the others scattered off all on their own missions. But, for Barbara Drake, this moment right now, with Adam, for the first time, feels real and she's loving it.

"How's Piotr?" Adam asked as he turned his head and gave the girl a quick kiss on the cheek.

"He's still sedated. Red is looking after him and doing what she can to help sooth and heal him," Petra answered back with a kiss.

"I am keeping Colossus sedated. I know he can survive as long as he doesn't shift, I just don't want to see him in pain or risk it," Lifeguard said as she had really come to care for the man and wished they had the chance to explore a relationship, but alas, stuck as a ship it could never be.

"Has Jam'se said anything about her sister?" Sage asked as they all felt the pains of having a family member go rogue and what might have to be done.

"Who cares? I won't rest till Zekk pays for what he did to me," Spark, the mutant once known as Dazzler said as sat at the controls next to Sage.

"The search is over, we are at the coordinates given. I have done a scan before we arrived and am doing them now and there is nothing here," Lifeguard said as sounds began to interrupt their conversation.

"What game is he playing at?" Sage and Spark almost said in unison when suddenly a strange beam of light came out of nowhere and hitting the ship causing Lifeguard and all her crew to vanish in a flash of light.

_**Deep Space – X-Men Strike Team**_

_**Unknown Planet**_

_Wait!_ Lilandro said mentally as Spirit was about to go solid but then redirected his powers, gripping Loa tight, as they came into the physical world and then became spirit forms.

"What?" Spirit began to question as he and Loa both heard and then watched a huge explosion that would have killed them if they had solidified.

"That's the ship they stole from Lifeguard," Loa said as the two went solid and continued to stare at what was a short distance ahead of them, the just recent crash sight.

_I'm afraid ARGH! _Lilandro suddenly screamed into their head as his voice and presence vanished.

"Nothing, I can't reach Lilandro or even sense him anymore. Something's happened in the Astral Plane," Spirit said looking at Loa.

"What do you mean?" Loa asked in concern.

"I don't know. Something is blocking me from using my powers in accessing the Astral Plane," Spirit said as he continued to try and use his powers but couldn't.

"Then we're on our own and stuck here," Loa said staring between Zan Marko and the crash site.

"For now, but I bet we'll hear from Lilandro soon," Zan Marko said.

"Yes, and we should find Professor Xavier, I'm sure he'll know what to do," Loa said as she wasn't sure if she had faith in the man anymore after all they had learned and been through.

"In that case, you stay here while I go search the wreckage," Spirit said as he closed his eyes.

Loa watched in agitated silence as Spirit stood there, squinting his eyes. She was about to say something when he held up his hand and went for one more try. This time Loa gasped in concern when he squinted his eyes and then suddenly collapsed onto the ground. She ran to his side and checked his pulse. He was alive but unconscious. She kept tapping his face trying to get him to wake when she suddenly felt a strange yet familiar tingling in her mind.

_Hey, Loa_, Spirit's voice said in her head as the connection was made and she could now see his astral form.

"Zan?" Loa asked as she reached for the ghostly form before it vanished.

"It seems with the Astral Plane blocked I can astral project but then I leave my body behind and vulnerable," Spirit said as he opened his eyes and stood up.

"Oh, my dear daughter, you've come but where's my father?" A voice said as the two young mutants looked toward the crash site to see a man limping towards them holding a gun at them.

"They'll be here soon," Spirit lied, "we want no trouble, we're here for Xavier."

"Really now? Well, good luck with that. Modifier somehow got his powers back and with the help of that traitor Deadpool, they broke free with Xavier waging war on us that ended with that Weapon X reject slicing through the controls causing the ship to crash," Shinobi said as he got closer and they could see that he was holding his side and had cuts and bruises all over him.

"What happened?" Was a Loa could ask as she stared into the eyes of her real father.

"Yeah, can't you make yourself super strong or intangible or something?" Spirit asked as the man stopped a few feet from them and then collapsed.

"Or something," Shinobi muttered as he coughed and then turned and spit a little blood.

"Dad, you're really hurt," Loa said as, against Spirit's protests, ran to her father's side and looked him up and down.

"That darn Modifier. We should have killed him off the bat. He scratched Shadownova causing her to go omega level and then burn out and die. Unfortunately he got me soon after Deadpool took out the ship," Shinobi began to say when Loa was about to interrupt him but a shoulder squeeze from Spirit told her it might be best not to let him know Shadow King and Cassandra Nova yet live in a sense.

"What about the others?" Loa asked changing her response.

"I don't know, dead for all I care. I just lucked out that I was in healing and modifying phase when we went down or I might have come out a lot worse," Shinobi grunted as he lay there in the most pain he's felt in a very long time.

"So, I'm assuming you didn't go Omega since you are alive and banged up and the fact your carrying a gun makes me think you got a secondary mutation or," Spirit was saying and then stopped with a smile.

"Your powers are gone?" Loa asked with wide eyed surprise.

"Doesn't mean I can't still kill you," Shinobi spat as he tried to raise the gun but Loa called on her powers and moved her arm through it causing the gun to breakdown and crumble in his hand as he pulled his hand back in a wince of pain.

"Don't worry, I can still take care of them for you," a growl said as they looked over to see a large, muscular werewolf standing atop a large rock to the side of them.

"Lobo, don't even think about it," Professor X said as he stood on the other side of them, his body shining in the light as his skin looked like it was made of blue diamonds.

"Great, as you can see, he got hit by Modifier as well. It seems that even though he was stripped of his powers, it still triggered a secondary mutation giving him abilities," Shinobi said as he looked at the man that had caused a lot of the cuts on his body.

"Yes, thanks to me," Modifier said as he suddenly stepped up near Xavier.

"Where's Adrianne Frost?" Lobo growled.

"Sadly, my granddaughter didn't survive the crash landing," Xavier said with true sadness.

"Hey, am I missing the party?" Deadpool suddenly asked as he came running from the ship, fully healed but his costume seeing better days.

"Loa, go, run save yourself," Spirit whispered to the girl he loved.

"No, I will not leave you," Loa said, not sure if she meant Spirit, her father or both.

"I will enjoy feasting on all of you," Lobo growled as he prepared to leap when a loud alarm begin to sound.

"Sorry, guys, that's me," Deadpool said as he took a devise out of his pouch and looked at it.

"What are you doing you idiot?" Modifier asked as they all saw Deadpool pounding on the devise as the alarm got louder and louder before going silent.

"There, got it. You see, before all of this, I had made a deal with Doom, for a huge pile of cash and a poster of Syrin, that I would find a way to infiltrate the X-Men and when the alarm went off I was to activate this devise," Deadpool said as he pressed a button.

"Wade," Xavier began to protest when suddenly the devise came to life sending out a strange energy that latched onto the crashed ship and in a matter of seconds reformed creating a few dozen large Doom looking robots that seemed to be held together and powered by some strange energy.

"That's what it does, huh," Deadpool said shrugging his shoulders.

"X-Men detected," one of the energy Doom Sentinels said as half of them shot off into the sky as the others turned and opened fire on the gathered group.

_**X-Men – Rescue Team**_

_**Deep Space – Aboard A Ship Racing At AN Alarming Speed**_

_**Conference Room**_

Forge stood staring at the girl that clearly looked like him in all facial features, minus the yellow eyes. After she had made her presence known and declaration that she was Darkholm, the daughter of Mystique and himself they decided it was best to get off planet and fast. They needed a good ship to get them where they needed to be and fast and she made that happen. Her mutant abilities were a combination of his and Mystiques. She couldn't shape shift, but she could take an inanimate object, know exactly what she needs it to be and cause it to shape shift into it, and that is what she did to their ship giving it, on top of other things, warp speed. They all quickly boarded, as well as taking Iril with them since Darkholm and her had become friends while impersonating a native of Planet Greb. Plus, she didn't want her left behind to be killed. Many didn't like the idea but settled for a compromise by playing the female dog warrior in a holding cell.

"How is your brother?" Forge asked as Cyclops entered the room.

"Doing well. He's been through a lot but he's healing," Cyclops said as he joined the others in the room.

Forge nodded as others made comments but it was time to get to business. Stacy-X and Gambit were at the piloting controls while Queen Animala and Beast tended to Vulcan and the prisoner. Around the table sat Mystique and five of her baby daddies, himself, Cyclops, Banshee, Creed, Iceman and Rogue who was there in the interest of her mom and half sister. Mona was also there as her sister was with Apocalypse and Mystique's children. Wingblade was allowed into the room as she stood behind Creed and the only one that totally kept him in check and calm. Lately, was the one person that connected them all at the moment, Darkholm, the one who could lead them to her siblings, their children.

"So all of you have manifested your mutant abilities?" Cyclops asked.

"Yes, and as he tried to train us he is trying to save us. We have stopped at several different planets in search of a scientist that can help develop the serum we need to be injected with before we die, which is roughly nine months," Darkholm answered.

"If he's trying to save you why are you not there with him?" Mystique asked.

"As much hope as most have in him to find the serum, he is warping us to an evil path and not all of us want to follow him. Once we learned you were not far from us we had to take the chance to make contact. So the few that were not evil or on the fence helped me escape," Darkholm answered.

"Why didn't any of the others come with you?" Iceman asked.

"It was too risky. Easier for one to slip out and bring help back then risk a confrontation with Apocalypse and his tight followers," Darkholm said when suddenly alarms began to go off.

"What's going on?" Forge called out.

"We've got incoming," Stacy-X began to say over the Comm. when she was cut off as something with great force hit and caused the ship to shake uncontrollably.

* * *

_**X-Calibur**_

**Court of Oz – Part Three**

_**Village of Dorothea – Munchkin Land, OZ **_

"We're going to die, were going to die," Toto cried as the swarms of Munch ran at them.

"This is nothing compared to a Sentinel," Shadowcat said as she grabbed both Toto and Elphaba and the vanished down into the floor.

"Thank you child," Elphaba signed as the three came up behind a house and solidified.

"We need to get moving. It won't take them long to find us," Toto said in a panic.

"Why don't you whip up some witchcraft and end this?" Shadowcat asked looking at the green skinned witch.

"If I had that kind of power then I would. For me, my only gift is my connection with the animals. My two sisters, Glinda and Locasta were the lucky ones to inherit our parent's talent for magic," Elphaba said as she closed her eyes and stared up into the sky concentrating.

"Why don't we go find the good witch Glinda? I'm sure she can help us and maybe find my friends and send us home," Shadowcat suggested.

"Glinda, oh no!" Toto said in what almost sounded like a bark.

"Toto is right, my child. My sister Glinda is just as evil as my brother if not more powerful. She lives for control of power and beauty," Elphaba said.

"Hard to believe, we survive a battle with Darkpires, obtain some new members, race off to a last minute wedding watching my good friend Storm marry our worst enemy Magneto, leave there and just as I am sitting down with Rachel to have a talk we end up getting transported to this strange land of Oz," Shadowcat started rambling to herself. _****See recent issues of Mutant Generation Force for the wedding of Storm and Magneto****_

"This is an odd one," Toto whispered to the green woman.

"I think we are in trouble," Shadowcat said as she looked up and hundreds of Munches racing towards them.

"No, luck is on our side it seams," Elphaba said as they all looked up into the sky and saw what seemed like hundreds of black dots filling the sky coming closer.

"What is that?" Shadowcat asked.

"Our salvation," Toto said as dozens of what looked like winged monkeys swarmed down and attacked the Munches.

"Come to me my winged beauties. Come to me!" Elphaba cackled as suddenly Kitty felt her self being picked up by one of the flying monkeys and she was soon carried off, with Toto and Elphaba to parts unknown.

_**Emerald City of Oz**_

"Where are we?" Cat asked as she stared at a glowing green fortress in the center of a city not too far of fin the distance.

"To be honest, it almost looks like the Emerald City in a movie I saw once called the Wizard of Oz," Marvel Girl said as she stepped up next to the future daughter of her best friend.

"Never heard of it," Cat said as she turned, psionic claws extending from her nails as something in the woods moved.

"Just me," Seraph, one of the newest members of X-Calibur said as he stepped out of the woods.

Cat didn't know what to make of this man. He looked like a modern day Arabian Knight with his black boots, silver face mask and sword he carried in his hand. Cat knew there was a story with him, something more than what he appeared to be. From what they know his sword is very durable, sharp and shots blasts of energy on top of him being very skilled in fighting with and without the sword. Cat knew there was more and she didn't know if it was the mystery, the guy himself or both that drew her to him. Cat then blushed and looked away, guilt of such thoughts brought her back to the man she had once loved and lost.

"Any sign of the others?" Rachel asked.

"No, I'm afraid not," Seraph said.

"It is times like this that I wish I still had my telepathy," Rachel said as she knew she had really honed her telekinesis with great power but still felt empty without her other ability.

"Well, I imagine if they were to wonder anywhere it would be a glowing city. We should head there," Cat said, never afraid of risks or danger.

"I agree," Seraph said with a smile as Rachel breathed in, nodded and walked with the others toward the great glowing city.

As they got closer to the boarder of the glowing city they realized there was a huge emerald wall built around the city. Rachel looked around to see how they might enter when they saw a commotion up the road. The three of them moved closer and quietly taking cover behind some trees. It appeared to be a bunch of soldiers in emerald green armor arguing with a bunch of beautiful women soldiers in flashing sapphire pink armor. In the middle of the feud were two figures in chains. Rachel recognized them immediately.

"That's Shamrock and Micromaxx," Seraph said out load for all of them.

"I don't get it, why don't they use their powers?" Cat asked looking at her companions.

"I think it might have something to do with that," Rachel said as she saw pink looking bubble chains around their wrists.

"Yes, that's an enchantment of the great Glinda," a vice said as they all jumped and turned to see a girl about four feet tall and made of paper.

"Who are you?" Rachel asked as she grabbed the girl and held her suspended with her telekinesis.

"I am Cutia, of the Cuttenclip. We are a race cut to life from paper by our creator, Miss. Cuttenclip," the paper girl said.

"Miss Cuttenclip? What?" Cat asked staring in disbelief.

"Yes, she is one of the Generals of Glinda's forces, just as those woman warriors down there, the Sapphires are. The Cuttenclips and Sapphires are only two of five divisions of Glinda's armed forces," Cutia said.

"Armed forces, why would Glinda the Good need such an army?" Marvel Girl asked now thinking of the old movie and wondering what strange land they had landed in.

"Glinda is far from good. She is quite spoiled and evil, which is why I have run away. I wish to be good. She and her brother, the ruler of the Emerald City, have been pretty peaceful to each other but now she wants to add Emerald to her possessions so has been building her forces to take on the Court of Oz," Cutia said.

"The Court of Oz?" Seraph asked.

"Yes, they are the Emerald Cities seven elite warriors. You have Brrr, the King of the Lions a clan of powerful beasts that even Elphaba can not control. Chopper, leader of the Tin Men, a group encased in tin and weld swords that cut through anything. Scarecrow, a man murdered and spirit reincarnated into a straw body that allows him to command fear and the blackbirds. Tik-Tok, the robotic general that controls the machine armies. Scraps, the Patchwork Boy cast out of the Cuttenclips for being a boy. Jack, a living pumpkin who fights like a pirate and spits seeds sharp as knives and finally, the most deadly warrior and commander of the Emerald Warriors, Gale who wears the stolen ruby slippers of Locasta and commands the wind spirits," the paper girl explained.

"This is nuts," Marvel Girl said as she glanced back to the commotion down below.

"If you want to save them you better do it now before the Court arrives or Glinda's Bunnybury forces get here," Cutia said as Marvel Girl nodded and dove down below.

With the element of surprise, Marvel Girl grabbed both forces with her mind and shoved them back away from the two X-Calibur members. She glanced back and saw that Cat and Seraph were easily fending back both warriors' fractions and keeping them occupied leaving her to rescue her friends. Marvel Girl looked down at the pink bands and used her mind but could not break them. She even tried with her hands with no luck.

"They are enchanted, I don't think you'll break them," Molly said with a smile.

"How do you get captured?" Rachel asked as she kept trying.

"We both landed here, as were taken by surprise by the pink warrior woman. When we started using our powers they threw these pink bubbles at us and the quickly bound us. Soon after the emerald warrior men arrived trying to stake claim and here we are," Micromaxx said as Rachel suddenly noticed he was hiding the strange gem that brought them here.

"Wait, that's the," Rachel began to say when she pulled the gem to her hand and suddenly a bright green light went off and a strange cyclone wrapped around her.

"Rachel, what's going on?" Meggan asked in a panic as she came rushing outside.

"I," Rachel started to say but was stunned as she saw that not only was she back in the garden but according to the clock on the outside bell tower stated she had arrived exactly the same time she had left.

"Are you okay? Where is Benedict? He said he saw some kind of tornado out here near you and the others and came out here to assist. When I got here I saw him touch something on the ground and in an emerald blast he was gone and you appeared," Meggan was rambling in a panic as she reached him.

Rachel turned to speak when suddenly a strange red bean hit her in the back of the head causing her to drop in pain cupping her head and falling to the ground. Meggan ran back into the mansion screaming for Brian as a red cocoon became to spin around Rachel.

_**Epilogue**_

"How is she doing?" Abyss asked looking at the red pod that had Rachel inside of it.

"Readings say she is alive in there but that's all we know," Meggan said as she turned to see both Captain Britain and Shuriken walk in.

"According to the X-Men, it seams anyone related to the Grey bloodline was wrapped in one of these. Not sure what is going on yet," Brian said.

"I looked everywhere and there is no sign of Benedict or the others anywhere," Yukio said in a panic as she worried about her Emerald Dragon.

"And until we get Rachel out of there we wont know what happened to them," Brian said when suddenly alarms went off.

"What is going on?" Meggan asked as they switched the monitors on and saw news reports of explosions and attacks going off all over the world, including the Statue of Liberty and the Effile Tower to name a few as well as places Brian recognized like the Xavier School.

"Brian come in please," a voice suddenly screamed on an emergency channel.

"Betsy, what's going on?" Brian asked in panic as the line went dead and the computer system came up showing a commotion on the front lawn, two figures fighting for their lives as a swarm of large robots were attacking his sister and her husband.

**Next: Issue #58 – Acts of Doom – Part Eight & X-Calibur: Acts of Doom – Part Nine**

*****But first check out next month's Acts of Doom Issue #1 for Part One for the crossover event that runs through all my tittles. *****


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